


Behind Her Back

by LadyWoman



Category: Gentleman Jack (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:01:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 105,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27094711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyWoman/pseuds/LadyWoman
Summary: Modern day setting. Anne is an up and coming writer of YA sleuth novels based on her past adventures and mainly lives in London. Ann Walker is an art teacher back in Halifax. Will they get together to "smash cakes"? You'll have to read to find out.
Relationships: Anne Lister (1791-1840)/Ann Walker (1803-1854)
Comments: 289
Kudos: 211





	1. I've Been An Icarus

**Author's Note:**

> I've been obsessed with this show since way back in July of 2020, when I discovered it on Hulu. 😉 That manifested itself in a need to write a story. Warnings: British English is not my first language, being that I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy, so please, be kind. I don't get paid for any of my typos and bad grammar. Story title inspired by O'Hooley and Tidow's song, "Gentleman Jack". Chapter titles inspired by Sally Wainwright's script, which happen to be some of my favorite lines of the show. I hope you enjoy it. 😀

“Anne?” Marian asked, her voice slightly higher than a few seconds before when she had called her sister’s name. She was now standing with her hands on her hips and looking very annoyed at Anne who appeared not to hear anything she had just said. “Anne.” She said again, firmly.

Anne lazily looked up at her, toast near her mouth, reading a letter that had just arrived that day and sighed.

“Yes?” Anne asked, equally annoyed that her thoughts had been interrupted.

“Did you hear a word I said?”

“I heard you say you were going out. When?” She asked, turning back to her letter.

Marian sighed, trying to get a hold of her irritation and softening her readily sharp barbed tongue, “Tonight, and I asked if you would come with me?”

“Why would you want me to come with you?”

“For one thing, you haven’t been out in weeks,” Marian said, truthfully and then did her best to sound needy. “And…I really don’t want to show up alone.”

Anne was going to protest about her not being out in weeks, but she knew she was right, she needed to get out of the house. Since she came back from Hastings, three weeks ago, she had practically shut herself up in her room and hardly ever came out of it. Except for moments like these, which she was now regretting.

Hastings. That was another regret that she tried not to think about. It also infuriated her that Marian had managed to hit the mark again, but she would never own up to that.

“What is it?” Anne asked, not sounding too enthusiastic.

“Just a get together from some people that I work with, sort of a ‘Ladies Night’, at one of the other girl’s flats.”

Anne’s interest picked up at the words “Ladies Night” but she hummed noncommittally. While she did think it was that time of year to do some sisterly bonding, she still had the urge to needle her a little.

“So, these are your friends from work and what? You’re afraid of them? Afraid to go alone?”

Marian’s eyes narrowed but she caught herself and sighed again. She tried to think of how to explain it to her sister and finally decided just to blurt it all out, hoping that would make it go better, “We’ve never actually had a private get together. You know, without the bosses there and they’re kind of younger than I am and I don’t really want to go, I mean, it’s not like some handsome man will be there to flirt with, but being the new one in the office, I don’t want to be left out entirely and they’re not bad people…”

Anne finally took pity on her sister and held up her hand to get her to stop her current verbal deluge. Even though she and Marian often bickered, she knew her sister to be a kind, good hearted person, just not as outgoing as Anne was and had few friends because of it. She held her mug of tea in her hand and thumbed the handle for a few moments making her decision. Finally, she said, “Very well. What time tonight?” She leaned forward and put her mug down, looking expectantly at Marian.

“Seven o’clock,” Marian smiled, though she felt a little uneasy because she knew that Anne could be just placating her now, only to ditch her later by text, as she had done before.

“You’ll have to give me the address,” She pulled out her phone and tapped her contacts. “I have some business at six, it shouldn’t take too long and then I’ll meet you there.”

“You better had.”

“Have I ever let you down?” Anne asked, knowing damn well the answer.

Marian raised an eyebrow, her mouth poised to say a few things back to her until Anne held up her hand again, effectively stopping her. “Don’t, Marian. I know. Just give me the address…”

It was as close to an apology as Marian had ever gotten out of her sister and she smiled, trying not to be too smug about it as she relayed the information to her.

At 6pm, Anne was busy weaving through the cars blocking her way to the sidewalk, she was hurrying to meet her editor, William Priestley. She had taken a cab, but the traffic in the city was at a crawl, so she shoved some bills through the window, giving the cabbie a generous tip, and said she’d walk the rest of the way. The only way this night could be worse was if it rained, she thought, and the way her life was going lately, she wouldn’t be surprised if a typhoon hit at this moment.

At thirty-six, she didn’t feel old exactly, just like a rudderless ship. At one time she was all speed and purpose, but now she felt barely able to keep up and since her relationship with Vere ended in a familiar and spectacularly bad way, she definitely felt like she was going in the wrong direction. Or at least that’s how she perceived it.

It’s not that she was particularly prone to bouts of melancholy about herself or her standing in life, but lately, her relationships were starting to follow an alarmingly specific pattern that she hoped to be able to stop from being her reality going forward. The problem was, she inevitably seemed to be attracted to those who were somehow unattainable. In her long term, not-really-a-relationship-but-more-like-an-obsession, affair with Mariana Lawton, she realized after years of being strung along, that she was never going to leave her husband, even though every time they met there were promises to do just that.

When Vere Hobart came along, she thought she could finally be free of the pattern of chasing after women who would eventually leave her for a man. Except that she didn’t think that she had to chase after Vere, their friendship/working relationship just seemed to morph into a romantic one. One that even had allowed her to think that she’d finally settle down and get married. But Vere’s aristocratic family still had some hold over her and had threatened to cut her off from her inheritance. Anne had thought she could convince Vere that it wasn’t needed; that what they both made from the books Vere was illustrating for her, would be more than enough to keep them comfortable and love would win out. Apparently, Anne had miscalculated how much money the Hobart’s were worth and more painfully so, had miscalculated the depth of Vere’s love for her.

As she made her way into her editor’s office building, she vowed to tell Sir Paul McCartney (if she ever met him) that money, in fact, could buy love, or at least could steer someone away from it.

The secretary at the desk, looking a bit harried, waved Anne right on through and only five minutes late, she came face to face with her editor.

“Bill, sorry I’m late,” she said, as she held her hand out to him for a shake. She became puzzled by the fact that her agent, Samuel Washington, was also in the room and looking a bit worried. She started to get that uneasy feeling she hated, in the pit of her stomach. “Traffic was a nightmare…” She added an apologetic smile and shifted her gaze to Sam, forgetting that she was still shaking her editor’s hand. “What’s wrong?” She looked back at William and finally let go of his hand. “Sorry,” she said, softly.

William looked at Sam and nodded.

“Sit down, Anne. Please,” Sam said, as he indicated to the chair nearest her.

“What’s happened?” she asked, panic starting to really take hold, she stayed standing. 

Sam started cautiously, “It seems, Ms. Hobart has opted not to renew her contract.”

That didn’t really surprise her.

“Okay, given present circumstances, I might have expected that.” Anne said, still not quite comprehending why these two men would be so worried about it that this couldn’t have been done over the phone. She looked at Sam more pointedly in the hopes it would spur him to explain.

“Well, she was only contracted through the last book…” Sam really didn’t want to finish the sentence for fear she might point her wrath his way.

“Yes?” Anne asked, with raised eyebrows.

Sam looked at William for help.

“Anne, please, sit down,” William said, moving around the desk and getting her to take a seat. After both Sam and Anne were seated, he perched himself on the front of his desk, legs spread out before him and crossed at the ankles, he locked his hands in front of him. Sighing he said, “Apparently, Vere’s contract had an opt out clause, that included your current book.”

“Which means what, exactly?” she asked, trying not to sound too impatient, but this was galling her. She didn’t want them to keep giving her the information piece-meal; she was always one to want information quickly so she could work out what to do that much faster instead of pussyfooting about.

“Well,” William continued. “It means we’ll have to find another illustrator,” He waited a beat, hoping the penny would drop, but went on when it appeared it didn’t, “For your next book.”

“Oh,” she let out a huge sigh of relief and laughed as she said, “I thought you were going to tell me that we had to find an illustrator for the one that is going to print next month.”

Her face fell when she caught Sam’s look and then saw the exact look on William’s face.

“Sorry?” she said, looking between them again. “You _did_ mean this book, didn’t you? The one that’s just finished.”

“Yes,” William said, contrite. “I did a poor job of explaining…”

“I’ll say,” Anne said, slumping back into her chair, still trying to piece together why Vere would be doing this to her. She understood that their relationship had ended. She had even started to forgive her for the reasons, but lately she was thinking that they could at least remain friends and if not still work together.

She felt gob smacked.

After a few moments of letting her come to grips with what their problem was, Sam finally spoke, “It shouldn’t push the book release back _too_ far.”

Anne sat up and leaned forward, her mind was going a mile a minute, but surprisingly her voice was calm, “Did she say why? I mean, is it even legal for her to be able to pull out this late?”

“The publishers had their legal team look into it, apparently it’s all there in her contract. In the cancelation clause,” William said.

“I thought the cancelation clause was to protect if I decided not to publish. Was it not?” Anne asked, perturbed.

William explained, “Well, it seems as though there was also something in there giving her the right to decide not to have her artwork used, up to a month before publication. She just has to pay a fine, which she’s already done.”

“Oh,” Anne said, looking hurt, “I see.”

She looked down at the floor, her eyes scanning back and forth. It was almost as though the dialogue of the moment that particular clause of Vere’s contract was being explained to her by her lawyer, was etching itself into the carpet and she was reading it as it appeared. She remembered that at the time she hadn’t cared what it said, because she was in love and she thought Vere loved her.

After a few moments of letting the feelings of unease about the future and betrayal, race through her heart and mind, she finally pushed all of that out of the forefront and back to the compartment where she would deal with it later. She set her jaw firmly and looked at her agent and shrugged.

“So, what now?”

“Well, if you give Bill a chance to explain, I think we’ve come up with a solution,” He nodded at the older man to lay out what they had been discussing before she had joined them.

“We’ll definitely have to put the word out for another illustrator. We thought maybe we could even hold a contest for it. To the public.” William said, and gave Anne a hopeful smile.

“A contest? Like a raffle?” she asked, her tone telling them exactly what she thought of that idea.

Sam jumped in, “Well, we thought the excitement of letting the public take part in it, would help draw attention away from the fact that-”

“Vere and I have parted company…” she said, trailing off. She understood why they would suggest something like that, but she didn’t agree with it. “That sounds…” ‘terrible’ she wanted to say, but not wanting to hurt their feelings she said instead, “…interesting, but I don’t think it’s right for me. I’ll tell you what though,” she added quickly. “I’ll think about it. Weigh up my options.”

“Of course,” William said, with a relieved smile.

Sam added, “It could be the quickest option not to delay the publication, though, there is one other…”

Anne immediately understood what he was trying to suggest, “No, not her. I can’t ask that.”

“Surely it’s been-”

“No,” Anne said, firmly, “That’s all there is to it.” Turning to William she said, “In your estimation, if we found someone say next week, how long before-”

“Depends on how quick they work, but I would say, the earliest would be the end of November.”

Anne processed this information, looked at Samuel again, then stood up and held her hand out to William for a shake.

“Thank you,” she said, trying to put on a sincere smile as their shake ended. “Sam, thank you.” She turned to her agent and offered her hand. “I’ll give all options a very thorough going over and I’ll let you know. In the meantime, if you have any other suggestions, please don’t hesitate to give me a call.”

“Take all the time you need,” William said, trying to convey a sense that this wasn’t the end of the world.

She nodded and then quickly made her way out of the office and into the corridor. Standing in front of the elevator, she hit the down button impatiently. When she reached the doors of the building her phone made an antique car horn sound. She closed her eyes and sighed as she answered it.

“Marian I-what? Listen, something just came up-well no-no, Marian, can you just- no, it’s not Aunt Anne-no, it’s not father- Marian, would you let me-” She sighed and waited for a few more moments, listening to her sister prattle on about this party, that she agreed to, before trying to take control with a shout, “Marian! Would you let me explain for Christ’s holy fucking sake?!” She mouthed a sorry to the elderly woman who was passing in front of her with a raised eyebrow. “Good. I just had some bad news for my book and I just feel like going- sorry- you’re where?”

Anne looked up and across the street, Marian popped into her line of site, crossing towards her and she pressed “end” on her phone.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were on your way to meet me here, I would have just waited for you.”

“No, you wouldn’t have.”

“I would.”

“You wouldn’t.”

Anne sighed, annoyed. “Marian, I think I know myself pretty well. Anyway, can we get past this nonsense? Why did you feel the need to meet me here? I told you I would meet you at the party.”

“Because you always find a way to get out of it, like now. I decided to come meet you so we could make our way there together.” Marian put on that sweet baby sister smile that she thought worked on Anne.

“I don’t always-”

“Anne let’s not spend another minute going back and forth arguing like children out here on this street, it’s beneath your dignity,” Marian said, trying to appeal to her sister’s impeccable social etiquette. “Now, tell me what happened with your book on our way to the party.”

“Marian, I don’t want to go!”

“Come on, tell me what it is on the way, and then the least you could do is drown some of your sorrows in free booze. Well, almost free, that reminds me, we said we’d pick up a couple bottles of wine…”

“We?”

“Well, I did, but you can help me pick them out.” Marian snaked her arm through her sister’s and pulled her towards the off-licence just a few doors down.

“Marian, I can walk without you having to latch on and pull me,” Anne scoffed.

“I’m not having you run off and jump into the nearest cab as soon as I let go.”

Anne flexed her arm showing how much strength she had, effectively cutting off the circulation to Marian’s arm.

At first, Marian had laughed at her sister’s display of power, until her arm started to throb.

“Okay, _Caligula_ , naff off with your brute strength,” she said, hitting her sister in the shoulder and then trying to get her arm loose.

Anne stopped flexing, “I’m just trying to make you realize, if I wanted to run off, I wouldn’t have to wait for you to release me.”

As they approached the front of the shop Marian stopped and looked at her sister, pleadingly.

“Would you just come with me for an hour? That’s all I ask. I’ll get some liquor into me and then I won’t feel like I need someone to be there with me.”

“Why are you so nervous about these people? Are they that bad? Should we both just go home?”

Marian sighed and pulled open the door indicating for her sister to go in first.

“No, I told them I’d be there and be there I shall,” Marian said, defiantly. She softened her look and said, “Just help me pick out some wine, come drink and then you can leave if you like.”

Anne narrowed her eyes at Marian and wordlessly entered the shop. She’d give it an hour, no more.

After their alcohol choices were made, Anne gave her credit card over to the clerk, who handed it back. Confused for a second, she realized that she was to swipe it through the machine herself.

Marian looked bemused at the exchange, “You’re so big now you let your assistant shop for you, don’t you?”

“Marian, don’t be a pain…”

Marian let it go, after all, Anne insisted on getting four bottles of really good wine and one bottle of excellent whiskey, and to her delight, she also insisted on paying for it. 

At that moment, Anne’s phone rang, the song that played made the clerk and Marian look at each other with a smirk. It was Ice-Cube’s “Check Yo-self”.

Anne looked at them sheepishly and answered the phone, “Hello, Bill.”

“Anne, I’m sorry to disturb, only you said if I thought of something to call-”

“Yes, yes, no worries,” she said, willing him to just get on with it.

“Well, I didn’t think of this while you were here and I know it m-might be highly irregular…”

“Oh?” Anne motioned for Marian to take the packages from the clerk as she talked to her editor.

William continued, “…but I don’t know if you remember my cousin…from Halifax…Ann Walker?”

Anne furrowed her brow and thought, she did recall her. “Ann. Yes, I think I do. Why?” she asked, then rescued Marian from the heavy load, taking two of the bags.

“Well, she’s in town this weekend, visiting Eliza and I and some of her Rawson cousins…”

Anne rolled her eyes. She didn’t mind catching up on old home week, but she really wanted William just to get to the point.

He continued, “…and well, I feel really odd about saying this, but she’s an illustrator, well she draws very nicely. She’s an art teacher at a grammar school in Lightcliffe and I think maybe…it might be a way if you could…”

Anne helped him out, finally, “William, are you asking me to meet with her to see her work?”

He sighed, relieved, “Yes, I thought maybe it would help, but I didn’t want to look impertinent.”

“Have you any recent work of hers? I don’t know if I’d be able to meet with her this weekend.”

“I’ll see if she can send you some of them, I’m sure she has them on her phone. Isn’t that what everyone does lately? Stores everything on these God-awful things?”

“Okay, well, you work that out. I’ll take a look and then be in touch. And Bill…”

He held his breath for a beat, hoping she wouldn’t be upset he tried to get some work for his cousin.

“…thanks. I appreciate you thinking of that.”

He beamed, “You’re welcome. Have a good night.”

“You too.” She said, ending the call with a curious look on her face.

“These bottles are getting heavy,” Marian complained.

Anne looked at her struggling with them, “Let’s go, Marian, before I return them and just go home,” she said, with a devilish grin as she took another one of bags from her sister.

“You wouldn’t! You promised!” Marian complained.

“I did not,” Anne said, suddenly feeling mischievous and laughing as they made their way out of the shop.

“Who was that on the phone?” Marian asked, as they were walking the few blocks to the address they were given.

“My editor.”

“Why do you have _that_ song as his ring tone, particularly?”

“He’s my editor, he…checks things for me.”

“’Check Yo-self’ is not about book editing, Anne…”

“Mariana thought it’d be funny and besides, I can’t seem to…” Anne trailed off, not wanting to admit that she still couldn’t delete anything that was Mariana related from her life. Finally, she rolled her eyes, “I told you, don’t tease,” she warned, as she held up the bags in her hand, “Or…or I’ll drink all this alcohol right here.”

Marian changed the subject quickly, “What happened with your book? You said-”

“Doesn’t matter, we’ll talk about it later or tomorrow. The flat we’re looking for should be in this building.” Anne slowed, looking for the address Marian had texted her.

Something occurred to Anne as she watched Marian search for the buzzer to her co-worker’s flat, “Do you remember Ann Walker at all?”

Marian’s brow furrowed almost concerned, “Ann? Yes, I do. She still lives in Halifax, I see her at the odd thing here and there, when I’m back there. Why?”

“Well, William suggested I meet with her, or at least see her artwork…”

Marian looked a little puzzled, but bemused and asked, “Why?”

Anne sighed and lowered her voice, “Vere pulled out of my latest book, she’s not letting us have her drawings for it. It’ll push the publishing date back and I don’t-I don’t want that. I just wondered if you maybe had seen her art.”

Marian’s face took on an even more bemused look, “I have, in fact. She donates some for the local charities, they sell it to raise money. You’d be lucky to snap her up and be the one who helped discover her...”

“Really?” Anne’s eyebrows narrowed in a thoughtful manner.

“Yes, really. Now, where is the-” Marian continued her search for the name on the buzzer she needed.

Anne looked at where she pushed.

It said, ‘Rawson, C.’

“Marian, that’s not…surely not _Catherine_ Rawson?”

Marian didn’t mean for her to see it and tried to play coy, “No…where?!”

“The buzzer you just pushed.”

“Who is it?” Came Catherine’s distinct voice out of the speaker.

“It’s Marian,” she said, trying not to look at her sister, she could imagine the raised eyebrow and the look that was trying to bore a hole through her skull.

“Did you bring Anne?” Catherine asked.

“Yes,” Marian turned and smiled at her sister, rolling her eyes a little.

“Did you bring wine?” Came her sister Delia’s voice, who sounded like she had a couple glasses already.

Marian laughed, “Yes, and even a really good whiskey.”

The door immediately buzzed open and Marian pulled it quickly before it locked again. Anne put her hand on it and held it open as her sister struggled a little with the packages she was carrying. She rolled her eyes, “We’ll have to get you some weights, Marian, the bottles are not that heavy.”

“Oh, please do, sister dear. I’d love to get all bulky and kick your arse clear across this corridor.”

Anne laughed and then got serious as they waited for the lift, “You didn’t tell me you worked with Catherine Rawson.”

“I don’t, as you know, I work with Harriet Parkhill, but Catherine is good friends with Harriet and when they found out she worked with me they invited me to this get together.”

“You mean all the young women of Halifax and Huddersfield will be up in that flat?” Anne sounded slightly alarmed.

“Anne-” Marian said her name like a warning, afraid she still had in mind to do a runner.

“Wait,” Anne said and put her arm on her sister to stop her from walking, “Is Ann Walker with them?”

“I don’t know for sure,” Marian lied, “Why?”

“William said she was in town visiting her Rawson cousins.”

“Would that matter?”

“Was this some sort of set up?” Anne’s mind started to work on conspiracy theories.

“Well, listen,” Marian leaned in closer to her sister, so she wouldn’t have to talk so loud, “Catherine didn’t want me to say, but they thought it would be a nice thing to all meet like this, you being Halifax’s ‘famous author’ and all. And maybe show you off to some of their friends-”

“Marian, you know I don’t like to be _paraded_ ,” Anne scoffed.

“I know, I know. I just thought it’d be a good way to catch up with friends from back home and you have been so shut in lately, and-”

“You wanted to show off your ‘famous’ sister, didn’t you?” Anne’s tone was playful. “I’m just wondering if _William_ somehow planned it all.”

“Not that I know of-” Marian was wondering why William Priestley would be in on this particular plan, that she still hadn’t revealed the actual truth about to her sister.

“Doesn’t matter, I’m not going to abandon you now, so don’t worry,” Anne said, deciding to just go with the flow and not be such a flake. She started walking again, “We could have a good time. Who knows, maybe I’ll meet someone,” she said as they came to the flat they were looking for; she turned and wiggled her eyebrows at her sister.

Marian’s mouth opened to say something, but before she knew it one of the doors was being opened and Catherine was welcoming them into her flat.


	2. You Made My Whole World A Little Bit Brighter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ann(e)s finally meet, again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full disclosure: I have a bit of a thing for Catherine Rawson, ngl. But only in a friends sort of way! →_→ ←_← Don't tell anyone. 🤨

“Anne Lister, as I live and breathe…” Catherine said, feigning drama and held her hand out to Anne for a shake.

“Catherine Rawson, well, well, well,” Anne smiled warmly, and shook her hand.

“Delia! Come see Anne Lister!”

Delia Rawson came skidding into the foyer all smiles and shaking each of the Lister sisters’ hands. She shook Anne’s a little too long, clearly evident she was a little bit starstruck but trying to hide it.

Marian eye-rolled discreetly.

“How have you been, Delia?” Anne said, amused by the younger Rawson’s manner. “I think when last I saw you; you were about this high.” Anne indicated about half her height.

“I’ve been well, going to Uni, trying to get into an internship at the Priestley’s editing firm,” she said, trying to feign a business-like exchange.

“Ah,” Anne looked impressed, “You’re interested in editing?”

“Yes, hopefully when I graduate-”

Catherine pushed her sister away from the door, “Don’t crowd her, Delia, let her come into the lounge and meet the rest of the ladies,” she scolded. It reminded Anne of the days when she tutored Catherine and Delia would try to devil her sister by sneaking into the library at their grandmother, Nelly Rawson’s mansion, Stoney Royd and making rude noises. “Are you surprised, Ms. Lister? I do hope you don’t mind. We all wanted to see you again, and when Harriet said that she worked with Marian-”

“Please, we can drop the formalities, surely. It’s just Anne,” she said, sincerely. “And yes, I’m pleasantly surprised. When Marian told me, I cleared my schedule straight away and have been _itching_ for this night to arrive.”

Anne turned around and Marian narrowed her eyes at her but quickly recovered to offer a grateful enough smile.

Catherine and Delia took the packages from them to a bistro table across from the kitchen, that they had set up as a bar. 

As they took them out of the bags, Delia admired the bottles. “Ooh, these are _good_ … _very_ good taste, ladies.”

Anne smiled and looked around the room, she saw only one woman she didn’t recognize. She also noted that Ann Walker was, in fact, not amongst them. Curious.

“Come, let’s get you reacquainted with the ladies, Anne,” Catherine felt it was slightly odd to be using her first name, after having known her as “Ms. Lister” when she was younger. “You remember, Harriet, don’t you?”

“Of course, I do. How are you?” She held her hand out for a shake and Harriet accepted it.

“Doing very well,” Harriet said, with a smile that didn’t quiet look sincere. “I’m so glad to see you again.”

“I’m glad to be seen,” Anne smiled rakishly, deciding not to care about Harriet’s false sincerity. This is what they were expecting, weren’t they? The cavalier writer from their hometown who had made it semi-big, writing young adult novels of decent success, that was by all accounts (if she listened to her publisher, editor and agent), about to get bigger. She tended to do this when she felt someone didn’t like her.

“Ann!” Catherine called over her shoulder then looked back to see Anne looking at her curiously, wondering why she just yelled her name.

“Yes?” Anne inquired, puzzled.

Catherine chuckled and colored slightly, embarrassed, “Oh no, sorry, Anne. I meant to call my cousin Ann. You remember Ann Walker don’t you?” She looked apologetic, “Apparently, she’s spirited herself off somewhere. I’ll just go see what she’s up to.”

Anne shot a knowing look at Marian who just shrugged.

Delia took over introducing Anne to the woman she didn’t recognize.

“Anne Lister, this is my…friend from Uni, Sophie Ferrall, from Denmark.”

“Pleased to meet you, Sophie,” Anne gave her a charming smile, “I’ve visited Copenhagen a few times, Denmark is a very lovely country.”

“You should visit again soon; my family and I would love to have you at one of our fetes in the summer.” She smiled back, charmed already. “They’re quite grand, Ms. Lister.”

Anne felt intrigued by her and couldn’t help but notice the look Sophie was giving her. It was playful, a little mischievous and if she wasn’t mistaken, slightly flirty in an almost challenging way. She measured her response though and nodded at her, deepening her smile before saying, “That is very kind of you and if I’m in Denmark this summer, I will endeavor to look you up, but please, call me Anne.”

Delia shot Sophie a curious glance making the other woman shrug at her, but just then their attention was taken away by Catherine saying, “All these Ann(e)s are about to get really confusing.”

Anne turned to see her pulling someone along. Her smiled deepened as she saw it was Ann Walker, who was smiling shyly at her, a bit embarrassed about being pulled along by her cousin.

“Ann,” Anne said in greeting and held out her hand for a shake. “I’ve heard so much about you lately. This is going to sound quite odd, but it’s all been today, in fact.”

“Oh?” Ann asked, accepting her handshake. “I-I hope they were good things.” She smiled at the older woman, who silently remarked at how much more mature she looked since she last saw her. In fact, they all had either grown, or looked older since she last saw them. No longer the bratty children and teenagers she remembered, but all grown up to be lovely women. Though, despite what she had said to Marian about meeting someone here, she quickly decided that while some form of flirting was normal amongst friends, she wasn’t going to make a spectacle of herself and try to bed one of these women. It felt wrong to her since she knew most of them from when they were pre-teens. Besides, she didn’t want to live up to the satisfaction of Catherine’s Uncle Christopher finding out she was, as he said to her one time, “The shameless tuft hunter we all know you to be.”

Pushing that thought from her brain she deepened her smile. “Not to worry, all very good things,” she said, as she put her free hand over the handshake and squeezed ever so slightly, finalizing their greeting and then let go of Ann’s hand so that the younger woman could greet Marian.

The last person Anne hadn’t said hello to, was just behind Ann Walker. She did seem familiar, but she couldn’t quite place her.

“Hi, Anne, I don’t know if you remember me at all. I’m Lydia-”

“Wilkinson,” Anne finished for her, pointing a finger and holding her hand out for a shake. “I remember. You and your sister had been at a holiday party at the Walker’s estate.”

“Yes, that’s right,” Lydia smiled, shaking her hand, stunned that Anne had remembered such a brief period of time so long ago. “But I’m Lydia _Fenton_ , now,” She waved the fingers on her left hand, showing her rings proudly, “Got married to George last year.”

“Congratulations,” Anne and Marian said simultaneously.

“She’s a traitor,” Delia broke in and spoke conspiratorially, “First one of us younger girls married and now we can’t tell her our secrets.”

They all laughed.

“Do you have this get together often?” Anne asked, making her way to a sofa that Delia was leading her and Marian to.

“Just a couple of times so far,” Catherine said, ushering her cousin to an armchair near to where Anne was sitting. “We hope to make it a once a month thing. Maybe like a book club.”

Marian spoke up, “Only if you promise not to read one of my sister’s books.”

Catherine was seriously put out, “But it was going to be about writers who were from Yorkshire…”

“Start with the Brontës then, that’ll keep us busy for a while,” Marian said, with a cheeky grin at Anne, “And when we’re done with the literary material, we can always delve into Branwell’s paintings…”

“She’s just teasing you, or rather me, Catherine,” Anne scowled at her sister, “I assure you, she loves all of my writing. Even the nasty grams I text her at two in the morning when she’s locked me out of the house.”

Marian sing-songed, “If you’re going to forget your key…”

Anne looked over at Ann Walker who appeared to be avoiding the fray, seemingly content to sit and watch everyone, “Do you see how I get treated by my own sister, Ms. Walker? I’ll bet yours doesn’t treat you this way. How is she…” She paused to remember her name for a moment, “…Elizabeth. The last I had heard of her, she was getting married.”

Lydia spoke up as Ann, who normally shunned the spotlight, was especially finding it hard to form words in Anne’s presence at the moment, “You have such a good memory, Anne, if I had half the memory you have, I wouldn’t have needed to repeat French in secondary.”

Anne smiled and was about to speak when Ann finally found her voice. “Elizabeth is up in Scotland now,” she said, with a smile, “Just had her third baby.”

“Ooh, three? How old?” Anne asked, and subconsciously moved her hand over her uterus.

“Mary is five, Sackville just turned three and the baby Evan is five months,” Ann said, with a smile and a nod.

Marian whistled, “She must not have slept in years…”

The women laughed and agreed how about how hard that would be, even with help.

Ann continued, “I go up from time to time, to see them. Mostly when I’m on my summer holidays.”

Anne nodded, “Scotland in the summer, how lovely. If my spies are correct, I understand you teach art at the local grammar in Lightcliffe?” she asked, suddenly glad for that rambling call from William earlier.

Ann was flattered and colored slightly, “Well, I don’t know if you could call it _teaching_. I, uh, mostly stop them from eating the glue or paint.”

Everyone laughed.

“How precious,” Marian said and Anne hummed in agreement.

Anne was torn. She wanted to inquire after Ann’s own artwork, but she didn’t want to turn this get together into a business-like atmosphere. People were always saying how selfishly cold and calculating she could be when she wanted something, and while that was mostly true about business and in a couple of her relationships, she did have a heart and genuinely cared about those she liked and wanted in her life. If truth be told, she had felt a spark of attraction between them and realized that she’d have to tread lightly in this area.

‘So much for not wanting to get involved with anyone here,’ She thought, as she watched Ann’s demure, but pleased, reaction to making the room laugh.

Anne turned her attention to Delia’s friend, Sophie, who she noticed had been looking at her curiously again.

“Sophie,” Anne smiled widely at her, “What brings you to London to study? Surely there were schools just as good in Denmark?” She asked.

“Of course,” Sophie said, “But I met someone online and I decided to see what else England had to offer.” She said, smiling in Delia’s direction. The look between them was quick but Anne was an expert at figuring people out and she caught it. She also had a great deal of decorum, so she let it go without saying anything.

“How interesting,” Anne said sincerely, “I’ve had such an adventure meeting people in so many different places. It’s exhilarating and I highly recommend it.” She smiled at Ann, who colored slightly when she smiled back.

Soon the new bottles of wine and whiskey were opened, finger foods were served and Anne was telling them some of the stories about her adventures across the globe and how many of them had ended up in her books. The whiskey was kicking in and she started to tell them some of the latest ideas she had for the novel she was currently writing. She probably shouldn’t have said anything, basically giving up her trade secrets, but she was having fun holding their attention. It was stroking her ego in just the way she needed it to.

Catherine then took a moment to give an informal but no less sparkling rundown of Anne’s writing career thus far and a glowing review of her last book. Everyone toasted Anne with their various drinks.

Marian, who was on her second glass of wine and who, when tipsy, had a tendency to let things slip that she shouldn’t, popped Anne’s bubble with her own toast. “To my sister,” she held up her glass, a little shakily, “May she be as lucky in love, as she is in writing,” she said, ending with a flourish, and then continued gravely, “…because currently, her love life is a cock-up of _historic_ proportions.”

The words hung in the air as an awkward silence descended on the room.

Anne’s face changed only slightly as she looked at Marian, the flattered smile had lessened and it no longer reached her eyes.

“Well…” she started to say something to lighten the awkwardness, but nothing witty came to mind.

The look on her sister’s face sobered Marian enough to realize that her toast revealed her personal, intimate business, which she vehemently tried to keep private. Trying to recover the jovial atmosphere of a moment ago she said, “I mean, I guess there has to be _one_ thing you’re not good at…”

Anne still had no words, which didn’t happen often. Catherine stepped in to save her from any further embarrassment about her recently imploded love life, by bringing up Anne’s time as her classics tutor.

“You’re absolutely right, Marian,” Catherine said, with a wink at Anne, “She was so good at Greek and Latin; I was always nervous thinking I’d be a disappointment to her as her tutee when I read the classics but I’m afraid I was shamefully hopeless.”

“You read the classics in the actual languages?” Sophie asked.

“Yes,” Catherine said. “My father insisted I learn it that way and I didn’t always study as well as I should have-”

Delia cut her off, “Too busy trying to sneak out of the house and get up to all sorts with that chap…what was his name?”

“Delia!” Catherine warned. “I did no such thing.”

“No, then why did Cousin Ann get grounded for covering for you when you went off to York with him and lost-”

Catherine stood up and took her sister’s glass from her.

“You’re cut off,” she scoffed and downed what was left in the glass.

Delia looked affronted, then smirked, “I backwash.”

“You’re such a vile thing,” Catherine said, perturbed, and gave her back the now empty glass. “I don’t know why I put up with you.”

Anne was glad of the distraction the sisterly bickering created and chose that moment to steer the conversation back in Ann Walker’s direction. “I trust you weren’t punished too severely for that, Ann?” She asked, with a smile.

Ann was a bit startled by the question and her mouth opened and closed a few times before she said, “N-not too badly,” looking down at her hands immediately.

Anne was sorry she had asked, she could tell the opposite must have been true, because Ann looked pained at the memory.

“I used to get in _the worst_ trouble,” Anne said, quickly turning the attention back on herself.

Marian seemed to have picked up on Ann’s pain as well and jumped in to help her sister deflect, “Oh, yes, Father and Mother were constantly at sixes and sevens with Anne. She one time climbed up onto the roof of the house, shouting all kinds of insults back down at the family.”

Anne was grateful to her sister for trying to help but sorry she had picked that particular memory. It pained her now because she had called her late mother a drunk and she was sorry she had done it, even if it _were_ true.

“Was that why you moved to Halifax to live with your Aunt at Shibden?” Catherine asked, knowing full well of the history of what happened, but also trying to help her cousin.

“ _One_ of the reasons,” Anne said.

“She also got thrown out of school. More than once,” Marian added, trying again to be helpful, but also now succeeding in fully annoying her sister.

Delia laughed and said, “I thought my grandmother was exaggerating when she told that story. It’s really true?!”

“Unfortunately, it is,” Anne admitted. She looked at Ann a little sheepishly and said in solidarity, “We all have pasts we’d soon forget.”

Ann could tell she was sincere, because the look on her face conveyed such understanding and empathy that it made the smile return to her own lips and she nodded back in gratitude.

The conversation soon veered back to Delia and Catherine bickering about their exploits as naughty children and whether the other got a worse punishment for it. Off to the side, Anne noticed Ann get up as if she were going to get another glass of wine, but then she quietly went into the kitchen and didn’t come back out. The other women were seemingly oblivious to this as they also shared their worst punishment stories.

As time wore on and the talk moved into other topics, Anne asked where the bathroom was. Catherine gave her directions and then went back to talking to Marian about her latest dream vacation destination as Delia kept teasing her sister about the disastrous cruise that she had gone on recently, insisting on referring to it as “The Poo Cruise” or just “The Poos”. Anne stifled what would have been an uproarious laugh as she got up and made her way to the bathroom. Catherine was now threatening to throw all of Delia’s things out of the window if she wasn’t going to stop with her disgusting names for the cruise from hell.

As she passed by Sophie and Lydia, who were on the other couch, she heard them trying to convince Harriet that her latest boyfriend was cheating on her. Sophie was urging her to leave him, but Lydia was telling Harriet to give him another chance. It reminded Anne of her days back at school and she smiled to herself, despite all of Marian’s ridiculousness, Sophie’s curious looks, Harriet’s disdain and the Rawson’s knack for trying to devil each other, or at least Delia’s triumphant digs into her bluenosed sister, she was actually having a good time. If anything, some of their characterisations could be added into one of her future stories.

After using the toilet and washing her hands, she glanced into the kitchen to see where Ann had gone and noticed movement on the balcony outside. She could see her sitting in a chair, her back turned to the kitchen and it looked as though she were talking to her lap. Her curiosity peaked, Anne went to the sliding door and opened it a crack, making the younger woman turn to look at who was coming out. Anne smiled as she was rewarded with a warm smile from her.

“Mind if I interrupt?” she asked, politely.

“Not at all, we were just talking.”

Anne saw that she had a cat with her, it was a tabby and looked content to stay where it was in Ann’s comfortable lap, trying desperately to get her to scratch its head again.

“I see this is where the real party is, can I join you two?” Anne nodded her head towards the cat.

Ann let out a small laugh, “Of course.”

Anne went to the railing and looked out onto the vista of the city. “Catherine and Delia have quite a view.”

“It’s beautiful.” Ann said, reverently, continuing to scratch the cat’s head and steal looks at Anne’s profile as the older woman turned her head to the side to see the other parts of the city.

“I tend to get claustrophobic at parties,” Anne lied, suspecting that it was the real reason that Ann came out to talk to the cat.

“Oh, really? I’ve always thought you rather thrived at parties,” Ann said, then realized she was letting it be known that she secretly watched Anne and tried to recover, “I-I mean…when I’ve seen you…at them…at parties, I mean…”

Anne turned smiling curiously at Ann, who was now feeling completely foolish and averted her eyes quickly, then bent her head down finding the cat’s head to be suddenly interesting.

“We have spent some time together, at a party once, haven’t we?”

“Well,” Ann said, forced herself to meet Anne’s eyes, in a bid to not be so nervous. “I mean, I’ve seen you at parties that were given by Catherine’s grandmother, we didn’t really talk at those. No, when we talked it was not really a party, you came to tea, at my parents…to see me and Elizabeth,” Ann said, her face brighter than one would expect, considering the reason for the visit.

Anne remembered exactly what brought her to Crow Nest that day and she felt bad for bringing up the tragic subject of losing both her parents suddenly, only six months apart from each other.

“I remember the visit well now; we spent a lot of time in the garden.”

“It was a very bright spot, in a bad time and I always meant to return the visit to you extended to Shibden, but you had gone,” Ann said, a little disappointed at the end.

“To Paris,” Anne nodded, “Yes, I could never stay in one place long, especially then. I honestly thought I would have never returned from there,” she sighed, wistfully, as she remembered her first time in Paris. It made her a little giddy and she wanted to lighten the mood, “So much life in that city, so much to see and do. You can spend a whole day at museum and never even crack the surface. There’s the architecture and the music and the…the people. I’ve spent hours just walking around and observing people in the shops, it’s like a movie only I have a ticket to.” The memories were making her feel alive and she had to stifle the urge to invite this shy woman to travel with her to see it for herself. ‘Where is this coming from?’ She thought.

They both smiled at each other and a silence descended on them.

Ann broke it after a few more moments with a question, “Y-you live here full time now? In London, I mean.”

“I do, with Marian, we have a flat together. Well, she has the flat mainly, I come and go so often it doesn’t really feel like home, but it’s where I’m registered for legal purposes, business, et. al.” Anne smiled again.

Ann returned it and nodded, scratching behind the cat’s ears harder and earning a particularly loud purr.

“What’s the cat’s name?”

“Seamus, it’s Delia’s…we’re great friends though, he’s such a good boy, aren’t you Seamus?”

“He’s a sweetheart,” Anne said, approvingly, then asked, “How often are you in London?”

“Lately a little more than usual but generally, I don’t really travel often. I guess I prefer where I’m used to.”

“Oh really? I love exploring. I feel if I’m not moving around seeing new places, I’d be a bear to deal with.”

“I expect it helps with your writing,” Ann agreed.

“Oh, immensely. You’ve no idea,” Anne’s face brightened again, “Sometimes it can be just the feeling of a new place that gives me an inspiration. A lot of my characters are people I’ve observed on a plane, a train or sitting in a café in a piazza.”

“I can see how that would be very helpful, I love all of the characters in your book,” Ann smiled at her and then looked back down at the cat, “They’re so well detailed.”

A thought occurred to Anne, “Traveling also helps with inspiration for sketching and painting. Have you been to Switzerland?”

Ann looked up from her current task of eliciting louder and louder purrs from Seamus.

“N-no,” She shook her head and smiled, “No, I haven’t.”

“The mountains are glorious, I mean, you can see them in a photo, obviously, but to be there, on a hill and just…looking out at the wonder of it all…” Anne’s chest started to swell with excitement again.

“That does sound inspiring,” Ann agreed.

“It’s really indescribable, the feeling you get of seeing something like that in person.” Being of an adventurous spirit, Anne again had the urge to invite her on a trip there but stopped herself. It would be too bold of a suggestion. After all, they didn’t really know each other that well, so she decided to change tack. “What do you use for inspiration in your painting?”

Anne watched as Ann lifted her head, looked at the view of the city, smiled, shook her head, looked back down at her hand petting the cat, and shrugged.

“I don’t know,” Ann said, unsure of what to say in the presence of someone who traveled far and wide. She decided to just say what was true, “…people…or places I’ve seen online or…or when I’ve gone somewhere, I can hold it in my mind and sketch from memory,” she said, finally looking up at Anne and smiling. As the look stretched on for a few moments, she dipped her head and gave Seamus a kiss between his ears.

Anne smiled, she had forgotten how painfully shy Ann Walker was and thought it was incredibly endearing, which, she realized with a pang of guilt, was very different to what she had felt a few years ago about her. She shuddered internally at the thought of how dismissive she had been to Ann, when she would see her at the Rawson’s grandmother’s house. At that time, she hadn’t paid her much mind, other than remarking that she was one of the young kids around Halifax who were so immature they were painful. The only time she really ever paid attention to Ann Walker, was when she had raced after Anne to invite her to tea and even then she had only accepted because she couldn’t bear to disappoint someone who had just lost their parents. It wasn’t that she had any real cause to dismiss Ann so quickly, except that Anne was still head over heels in love with Mariana Lawton and Ann, while pretty, always seemed so young. It was probably due to her shyness that had made her seem even younger than years and Anne never had time for what she deemed “childish nonsense”. Now she realized that, without any authority to do so, she had erroneously lumped Ann in with her gossipy friends like Harriet Parkhill and her Rawson cousins, who were perpetually bickering at each other and giving her a headache.

Taking a cleansing breath, Anne looked out at the skyline and decided this was her chance to right those wrongs and even if Ann didn’t know anything about them, she was determined to make it up to her.

Though she still hadn’t decided exactly how she was going to achieve that yet.


	3. I Do Have Very Warm, Tender Feelings For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ann(e)s get to talking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Ann Walker Day! As most of you might have heard: THEY FOUND ONE OF HER TRAVEL JOURNALS! And, it was amongst my (alleged) bae, Catherine Rawson's family's papers, so I'm freaking stoked! Yay for Ann!!! 🥳👒 Thank you to Diane Halford for making that discovery! If you don't already follow the gang, In Search of Ann Walker, that are hard at work researching for clues of Ann, please do so on Twitter at @SearchingForAnn. Okay, with that excitement addressed, I should have said that I am so hopeless with tags but this story should be labeled as a slow burn. I hope that's not disagreeable to anyone. If it is, I'm sorry, here lemme make it better 😙 😗 No? 😕 Oh well then.😐

“Are they snogging yet?!” Delia practically hissed the question at her sister, who along with Lydia was trying to see what was going on out on the balcony.

“No, Delia and shut up.” Catherine whispered back.

Delia looked defiantly at her sister and was about to say something else when Lydia spoke up, “If you bollocks this up, Delia Rawson, I will never, _ever_ speak to you again,” she warned, effectively stopping Delia in her tracks, despite the command being whispered.

“Why this elaborate plan to get these two together?” Sophie asked and shifted on the sofa, laying her head in Delia’s lap, to give her something to do other than fixate on what her sister was doing. “Why don’t we just all go to a club and let them work it out in a stall in the toilets?”

Lydia closed her eyes and put her hand on Catherine’s shoulder to steady herself. She could feel the tension in her friend’s shoulder and warned her in a calm voice, that belied the bubbling anger she felt, “Don’t, Cate. Just let it go…”

Even Delia had to look at Sophie with a wide-eyed stare.

“What?” Sophie asked, with a mischievous smirk, “Isn’t that what everyone does these days?” She winked up at Delia.

“Not my cousin, Miss Prig, grammar school art teacher, who volunteers at the church knitting circle every Wednesday night,” Delia said, like it should be known to everyone.

Harriet spoke up, through her drunken haze, she had been packing it away steadily since she arrived at the flat and was pretty far gone by this time.

“Little Annie’s been in love with Big Annie since we were children,” she looked bleary eyed at Delia, trying to focus, “Isn’t that right, Delia?”

Marian looked at Harriet curiously, trying to remember any interactions the two Ann(e)s might have had where she would have been able to tell Ann Walker was smitten with her sister. Curiously, she never got that vibe, but then again, the two weren’t often together. Anne was always elsewhere, never really had time or patience for the Halifax set. If she weren’t at Shibden, she was off in Langton or at Lawton Hall, or Paris, Rome, Madrid, Morocco, New York, Los Angeles, Singapore, Rio and points North, East, West and South of those places. However, when she thought of seeing Ann Walker in Halifax recently, she remembered that the younger woman always asked after her sister, but Marian had just assumed she was being polite. Thinking about it a little more, she remembered that a disappointed look would appear on Ann’s face when Marian would have to report that Anne hadn’t come back with her to visit her father and Aunt. Other than that, she would have been lying if she said that she could tell that Ann was in _love_ with her sister, mainly because she had always been so quiet and usually, when no one was looking, retreated from the room altogether, like she did tonight.

Despite all that, she had the curious feeling that both her sister and Ann would be good for each other, especially for Anne who was lately getting so desperate to find a woman to settle down with, that it was making her a little careless with her choices. Though, if you asked Anne, she’d say she was being very discerning. Marian had the belief that her sister’s choice of woman often didn’t have two of the characteristics needed at the same time to be a steady mate for her sister, which were: Good shag and faithful companion. She could tell that Mariana had been the former in spades (for reasons that she never wanted to remember ever again) and that Vere had all the markings of what everyone would have considered a faithful companion, but neither had been both. She had the hope that this person would also be someone who really cared about her, not just saw her as a steppingstone to their own ambition or as a meal ticket. She knew Anne was exacting and hard to get along with, so they had to put up with her restlessness, her boundless energy, love of travel and her quest for learning, but also someone that would be an opposite to her personality, so that they wouldn’t clash by being the same.

Marian sat musing that it wouldn’t be unwelcome prospect if the person that her sister found all that in, was shy Ann Walker of Lightcliffe. She knew Anne would love to be able to show and teach the younger woman about all the things that she loved, and she thought Ann’s calm, homebody ways could hopefully show her sister how to settle herself. Also, if truth be told, relationship that Marian had embarked on with Thomas was starting to feel like it would be a serious one, and she would prefer if she had the flat to herself if that were the case.

With that, and of course, her sister’s happiness on her mind, she started to think of ways she could help Ann Walker in her quest for a relationship with her sister.

When she tuned back into the conversation going on in the room, Delia was just finishing recounting the times when Ann had asked her to spy on Anne’s visits to Stoney Royd to see her grandmother for tea.

“She’d be so cross with me if I forgot to describe how she looked or what she’d been wearing, but it was stupid, because it was always the same: she looked great and she was wearing black.”

“Why _does_ she always wear black?” Harriet asked Marian.

“I couldn’t really say, other than it must have had something to do with Mariana Lawton’s marriage to-”

“Father time!” Delia said, peeling out with laughter so hard it was making Sophie’s head bounce up and down on her lap.

“I don’t understand that one at all,” Harriet said, shaking her head gingerly. She snickered then downed the last of the champagne in her glass and immediately poured herself another one from the bottle she had settled into the crook of her arm.

‘Poor girl,’ Marian thought, ‘She is going to have _such_ a hangover tomorrow.’ She mused wickedly.

“What’s this?” Sophie asked, smiling and desperate to be in on the joke, “Father who?”

“Mariana Lawton, Big Annie’s ex, marrying that old…” Harriet twirled her finger in the air, trying to think of the word she had for Charles Lawton, “…fuddy-duddy. That’s it. Fuddy. Duddy.” She laughed drunkenly, proud of herself.

“ _Who_?” Sophie asked, impatient to get the details but smiling at Harriet who seemed to have already zoned out.

Delia sighed and said, “It’s a tale as old as time, sweetheart. Here, I’ll illustrate: Girl meets girl,” she held the index and middle fingers up on each hand,” then made a scissoring gesture, “…girl on girl,” she winked cheekily at Sophie who chuckled and grinned wolfishly as Delia continued, “girl meets old man,” here she crooked her pinkie finger on her left hand, making it look gnarled and Sophie laughed and slapped at it, “girl thinks she’d be better off with old man and his millions, girl _marries_ old man but keeps girl…” she wiggled the fingers of her right hand, “…on a very short leash, old man cheats on girl and gives girl a venereal complaint, girl then gives it-”

Marian realized what was about to be revealed and sprang into action, “Delia, that’s _such_ old news, dear, no need to bore Sophie with it. Tell me, what can I do to help the plans in getting the two Ann(e)s together?”

Catherine, who had snapped her head around when she heard Delia’s funny tale devolve into something Anne Lister wouldn’t have wanted told, smiled gratefully at Marian for steering the conversation elsewhere. She didn’t want to risk being arrested for attempting to smother Delia with a pillow.

Delia looked at Marian and brought up her brilliant idea for the plan, “Well, _I_ think we should contrive to get your sister to go back to Halifax with Ann on Sunday, rather than Lydia,” she said.

“Shhh,” Catherine silenced her, “We’ll talk about that again later; I’m trying to hear.”

*****

Back out on the balcony, the conversation had cooled. Anne looked in the younger woman’s direction, hoping she would continue to talk about her sketching process, but as the silence stretched on, she realized that Ann was probably feeling a little self-conscious.

“That’s a very impressive talent, Ann,” she gave her an encouraging smile when Ann looked up at her. “I’ve tried to sketch a few times from memory and it always turns out like a crime scene, pretty bloody awful,” she laughed at herself, “I guess I’ve always been better at words.”

“Yes,” Ann said, in agreement, “I very much enjoyed your last book. Well, all of them really,” she corrected herself quickly.

“Did you?” Anne felt a swell of pride.

“Yes,” Ann smiled; a blush tinged her cheeks, “I like how your heroine is…a…a…”

“Lesbian?”

“Y-yes and a sleuth. I think it’s important for…” she lowered her voice slightly before saying the next word, “… _gay_ young adults to have a positive role model. I only had wished-” she stopped abruptly, suddenly feeling not quite as bold as she was just a few moments ago, “-I’m sorry, I don’t know what I was going to say.” She said, covering up her embarrassment with a shrug and a small laugh.

Anne looked at her curiously, she wanted to press her to get her feelings out, but she decided against it. Best not to try to force her to share all of her bottled-up thoughts and feelings at this moment with someone who was practically a stranger, she could do that later when they got to know each other better. As friends.

Anne solidified her decision to befriend the younger woman, if she wanted that, to help her feel confident in herself and to be comfortable with her sexuality, if that’s what she was trying to reveal there and who knew, maybe even help her in finding a girlfriend.

Anne looked at her sincerely and smiled, “Thank you for letting me know it resonated with you. That means the world to me, you have no idea. If I can reach one person with my message, I will have felt my job was well done.”

Ann looked up at her and she could see that the younger woman wanted to talk more, to tell her perhaps what those innermost thoughts and feelings were, but she could see she was too shy or nervous to let go.

Thinking maybe it was easier for her to talk if she weren’t looking right at her, Anne took the chair next to Ann. She suspected that her shyness and anxiety, were probably coupled with depression, which she had seen in her first girlfriend, Eliza Raine, whom she went to boarding school with and was the reason for her being expelled from it. Eliza suffered with both anxiety and depression and unfortunately didn’t fare so well, which was why Anne was especially sensitive and attentive to people who suffered from similar afflictions.

“Seamus sounds like one happy cat,” Anne commented, smiling over at the very content looking feline.

Ann laughed and nodded, “He loves when I visit, I’ve kind of stole his heart. Delia is starting to get suspicious.”

Anne chuckled, “The really good cats have a knack for knowing who the best people are, so it’s not at all your fault that he’s taken a shine to you.”

Ann smiled happily at her, grateful for the sweet comment.

This time, it was Anne who had to look away, her traitorous heart fluttered from the look on Ann’s face, and she cursed herself, because that was just the sort of thing she was trying to avoid. She turned her head to pretend to look into the kitchen and saw what appeared to be two heads pulling back from the doorway of the lounge. She smirked, but didn’t say anything to Ann, wondering if she had been in on what she now was thinking was surely a set up.

Being an amateur sleuth herself, she was starting to become convinced this little party was a ruse to have her and Ann meet, but she still wasn’t entirely sure whether it was for either romantic or business purposes. Though the prospect of both would not be unwelcome, she would still be careful not to get romantically involved with someone she’d be doing business with. 

And there it was. The stuck-in-a-rut pattern that she had been in lately was rearing its ugly head.

While she told herself that she just wanted to be friends with Ann and that collaborating with her on this book would be good for them both, it was becoming apparent that as each second on the balcony passed, it would be harder than she thought to keep it just friends between them and she’d have to call on some really deep willpower to avoid another Vere situation. Especially since, based on her meeting today with Bill and Sam, she knew it was downright bad for business. She was already regretting her promise to Bill to take a look at Ann’s sketches and thought that if it came to it, she would find someone else to work for her. She inwardly groaned as it took her all of two seconds to remember what Marian had said about Anne being lucky to have Ann Walker illustrating for her, and while Marian was downright infuriating at times as a sister, she had to admit, she was a very good judge of both people and art.

As Anne was working all this out in her head, she realized again, that the silence between them stretched a bit longer then she had intended and even more alarmingly, it seemed that for once she was at a loss for words. Of course, when she did think of something to ask, it was at that moment that Ann also decided to break the silence with a question of her own.

“When are you-” Anne started to ask.

“Are you planning-” Ann also started then stopped.

They both laughed and Anne demurred, “You go first.”

“I was just going to ask if you were planning on visiting Halifax soon?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, in a week or so. I usually go at the _end_ of May or early June, but circumstances have changed, and it looks like I’ll have to go sooner.”

Ann became concerned, “Nothing bad, I hope?”

“No, nothing bad. Not really. Just some business to attend to.” Anne was touched at her concern.

“With Shibden?” Ann asked, “Your Aunt said you’d be opening to tourists soon.”

“Yes, with that, and some other things,” Anne said, not wanting to be so vague to her, but also not wanting to let on that she was looking for a new illustrator and that illustrator happened to live in Halifax and that it were her, in fact. Anne decided that she would let her agent, Samuel, handle the actual asking of collaborating with Anne, to keep it business like and above board. Though, it would be torture, because she really wanted to ask Ann if she could see some of her work.

“What were you going to ask?” Ann asked.

Anne was jarred out of her thoughts and her heart pounded slightly thinking Ann could hear them. Had she spoken out loud?

Ann explained quickly when she saw the look on Anne’s face, “ _Before_ , only you started to ask me something and I talked over you.”

“Oh,” Anne sighed, relieved. “Funnily enough, I was going to ask when you were planning to go back to Halifax.”

Ann laughed again, “What a coincidence.”

“It is,” Anne smiled and nodded her head, finally look into Ann’s eyes. The look she found there was bolder, not as shy as before and more relaxed. Good God, this was going to be hard. “So, when?”

“I usually stay until after lunch on Sunday and then make the trip back.”

A spark of an idea popped into Anne’s head and she wondered if she could pull it off.

“Did you drive here?”

Ann shook her head, “I took the train. I like to be able to read when I travel.”

“Me too. Truly delightful, I love trains. Much more leg room than on a plane and such lovely views of the glorious country.”

Ann pulled her phone out and pulled up a recent picture, holding it out for Anne to see.

“See? This one I’m going to try to sketch this week.”

It was a picture of the London Bridge as the train headed towards King’s Cross Station.

“Lot of detail on that. You’re very brave, but I love that view. Would you mind sharing it with me when you finish?”

Ann smiled brightly and asked, “Really?”

“Yes, really,” Anne answered back, with her own bright smile.

“I will.” Ann agreed, looking a bit surprised and delighted with that prospect.

Anne knew she would need to speak to Marian about her plan for this weekend, but her mind was all but made up about it. Though, she wouldn’t reveal it to Ann just yet.

“What time do you leave Sunday?” Anne asked, gathering some more information she would need to help her in her planning.

“3:30.”

Anne nodded.

“Why?” Ann asked.

“No particular reason,” Anne said, and noticed Ann’s face fall slightly, “I like to know mundane facts and I have a bit of a time keeping obsession.”

“To write it all down in your diary,” Ann said, knowingly.

Anne quirked a questioning eyebrow at her.

“I read it in an interview you did last year, y-you talked at length about your diary. It was quite intriguing.”

Anne smiled, impressed, “Do you keep a diary?” She asked.

Ann nodded, with a small, embarrassed smile on her face, “I started to, again, after reading how it helped you with your mental health. I don’t do it every day, but I have started to write some of my feelings out in it. I have to admit, at first it was hard going, but I find that it gets easier as I go and it makes me feel better, so thank you.” She said, with a look of genuine gratitude.

Anne was surprised at that and another swell of pride went through her. “I’m so pleased I was able to help,” she said, and reached out to give a comforting squeeze to Ann’s arm. She noticed a shiver go through her. “It’s getting pretty chilly out here, perhaps we should…”

“I’m fine,” Ann said, quickly. “Not really cold, not with Seamus O’ Kitty, the heat blanket in my lap,” she said, as she lifted him up, gave him another kiss to the back of his head and settled him down across her lap again.

Anne laughed; the cat’s full name struck her as funny. “That’s the perfect name for him. Who came up with it?”

“I did,” she said, laughing with Anne, delighted that she could make this worldly woman laugh that hard.

Anne was grateful to the cat for keeping Ann warm so that she could keep the conversation going with her out here alone.

Another thought occurred to her, “So, you mentioned my Aunt earlier…” she started.

“Did I?” Ann was puzzled.

“Yes, you said she told you I would be coming to visit Halifax soon.”

“Oh, yes, she did.”

“Do you see her often?”

“A few times a month, I volunteer at the church on Wednesdays and so does she. We talk about…” Ann hesitated and Anne picked up on it. “…all sorts of things and she is really very kind. She taught me how to knit.”

Anne laughed, “She was always trying to teach me that, so thank you for giving that to her. I, unfortunately, was completely hopeless at it.”

“Really?” Ann asked, bemused, then added, “Another thing I’ve discovered you’re bad at.”

Anne knew she was referring to what Marian had said before about her being bad at relationships, but curiously it didn’t bother her. It seemed that Ann liked hearing stories about her.

“Oh yes, I have some frightening looking knitted jumpers back at home that look as though I were making them for extraordinarily long necked aliens,” she smiled sheepishly as Ann laughed at her descriptions. “Or perhaps small-bodied giraffes?” Anne craned her neck and opened her eyes wide, fixing an odd stare just to the left of Ann who laughed loudly at the face she was pulling.

Anne smiled at her and continued, “Aunt wouldn’t let me throw them away, she kept them. I suppose as a warning to others, on how bad it can go if you don’t really pay attention,” she bit her lip and gave an another slightly abashed look, “I’m surprised she hasn’t shown them to you yet.”

Ann was still laughing hard, from the look on Anne’s face and imagining these jumpers. She put her hand on the older woman’s leg as she got her laugh under control and said, “Oh, now I really must see these monstrosities.”

“Don’t you dare, Ms. Walker…” Anne warned playfully, her eyes darting to the hand on her thigh, trying not to read too much into it.

Ann was shaking her head, “Sorry. Your Aunt loves me; she’d let me see them in a heartbeat.”

Anne pretended to pout, “That’s not really fair, is it? I’ll have to contact your sister to get some equally shameful dirt on you.”

“There’s nothing,” Ann protested sharply, “I’m a saint.” She said, trying to look pious and holy.

They both laughed heartily.

It was loud enough to be carried back into the lounge, where Catherine and Lydia were still spying on them.

They looked at each other with knowing smiles and low-key fist-bumped; congratulating each other silently on a job well done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is a total coincidence as I have been writing this story for a couple of weeks now but the chapter that coincides with my post today (I plan on posting every Sun, Wed, Fri), just happened to have a part in it about Ann Walker keeping a journal. What a sign!!!! 🎉🎀 *geek out over*


	4. I'll Deal With It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The party is still progressing and Harriet's still drunk. 🥴

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm STILL buzzing about Ann Walker's journal being discovered! 😁🎆👒🎩 Her nickname in the journal for Anne Lister is DEAREST! No, no, it's too much! My heart. *clutches chest* 💞 Thank you to everyone reading and liking the story, I am so happy to hear how people are enjoying this. 😊

“What’s happening?!” Delia called, from the sofa. She was getting impatient not knowing how things were going for her cousin.

Catherine turned her head and whispered, “Shhh, Delia, they’re just laughing.”

“That’s the most I’ve heard Ann laugh in quite a while,” Lydia said, looking at Catherine who nodded her head in happy agreement, “And they were pretty deep belly laughs,” she continued, letting out a grateful sigh; thankful this mission to cheer Ann up had been fruitful and not the disaster she thought it might be.

“Not like those ones she’d give to Ainsworth when she was being polite and laughing at one of his dumb jokes,” Delia said, dully.

Lydia silenced her, “Hush, Delia, you know you’re not to bring him up.”

“But she’s outside…”

“Shhhh,” Catherine warned her sister, then turned to Lydia, “I told you she would be in good hands,” she chided her friend.

“I’ve heard she has _very_ good hands, especially the fingers…” Delia said, with a languid smirk on her lips.

Catherine and Lydia both snapped their heads to where Delia was lounging on the couch, with Sophie’s head still in her lap, she was pretending to absentmindedly play with the Danish woman’s long curly brown hair.

“Delia!” Catherine scolded her for what seemed to be the millionth time tonight, “Are you trying to make me tell Mother and Father that you can’t stay with me anymore?”

Lydia added, “Don’t be vulgar.” She then looked at Marian who had a slightly horrified, but definitely bemused, look on her face.

Catherine saw it too and apologized for her sister’s lack of class.

Just then, the sliding door to the balcony opened and the women in the lounge jumped and tried to look like they hadn’t been spying.

“I mean it,” Anne said. “I bet I could get you to love the anatomy-”

She was cut off by Delia and Sophie bursting out with laughter. Ann peeked her head out of the kitchen and looked over at them with a questioning look on her face.

Anne stood behind her, looking around Ann’s head and narrowed her eyes at the pair. They were now sitting upright, trying not to look at the daggers being thrown at them from all angles.

Anne finished her sentence with a raised eyebrow, “…of _plants_.”

Marian scoffed, “Leave it to my sister to sit on a balcony with a pretty girl, on a glorious spring night and talk about the anatomy of _plants_ ,” she had a wry grin and downed the last of her wine.

“I heard it was a very seductive technique back in the day.” Harriet’s tired voice broke the silence that had started to linger a beat too long.

Anne put her hand on Ann’s elbow and whispered in her ear loudly enough for the other women to hear it, saying, “I think maybe the ‘Ladies of Halifax and Huddersfield’ have had a bit too much cheer for one night, Ms. Walker and now you and I are the subject of some sinister love plot.”

Ann shuddered as she felt Anne’s hand move to her back, the breath on her sensitive skin was reverberating and causing the hair on her arms to stand up. She was fighting off the urge to slide her eyelids closed and lean back into Anne.

But just that quick, the moment between them was gone as Anne laughed towards the ceiling at the joke of it all and pushed past Ann to step into the lounge.

Ann was perturbed that the closeness had ended and at the feeling Anne’s laughter gave her. It was almost as if she were that teenage girl again, who Anne politely made a date with to have her visit Shibden Hall and never followed up on it.

Catherine caught the movement and the look on her cousin’s face and made for the drinks table, in an attempt to smooth things over. “Another glass of wine, Annie?” She looked over at her with a friendly smile, trying to keep the mood light and friendly.

“No,” Ann said, annoyed and shook her head once, “I shouldn’t with…” she lowered her voice, “…my medication.” She looked at the far side of the lounge and saw Anne bent over whispering in Marian’s ear. She knew she shouldn’t feel hurt but something inside of her started to think she had misread everything that she thought had passed between them out on the balcony. 

Watching them talk, she distinctly heard Anne ask Marian if she could forward any business correspondence to her until she got the word out that she’d be gone, but then Delia and Sophie started laughing again, and she didn’t catch if Anne mentioned where she was going. Feeling deflated and like the odd person out, she went and sat down next to the drinks table and watched Catherine try to choose what she wanted. When she saw her cousin’s cheery face after she filled her glass and walked back to the sofa to mingle, she thought she should probably go back to the room she was staying in so that her increasingly bad mood wouldn’t affect the others.

Lydia had also seen the exchange and the change in Ann’s mood and walked over to her. Under the guise of also getting herself another glass of wine, she tried to help her friend. “I see that look, Ann, what’s got you in your head?” She asked, at a volume that only Ann could hear.

“Nothing,” she said, shaking her head, as if to clear her mind of her thoughts.

“How was your conversation with Anne?”

“It was nice,” she said, sincerely, but still puzzled at what she had done wrong.

Lydia brought her head closer to Ann and asked, “Did you get her number?”

Ann’s eyes widened at the question and she looked to see if Anne had heard that, satisfied that she hadn’t, she said, “I don’t need to ‘get’ her number, Lydia, I already have it.”

Lydia narrowed her eyes at her, “You mean you could have just started up a conversation from back in Halifax and we wouldn’t have had to come here this weekend?”

Ann looked at her, annoyed and whispered, “This whole thing wasn’t my doing and you know that, so I’ll thank you not to blame me for you being here.”

Lydia laughed and admitted defeat by holding up her hand in mercy and saying, “I know, I know,” she lowered her voice conspiratorially, “Her aunt gave you her number, didn’t she?”

Ann stood up and beckoned her friend to follow her into the kitchen.

“Shhhhh,” Ann warned, “I don’t want it getting out that her Aunt has been giving me information.”

“You act like it’s a government operation.” Lydia said.

“Well,” Ann said and then peaked out quickly to ensure no one was coming, “Not exactly, but I have been discreetly gleaning information off of her when we’re in the knitting circle.”

“Ooh, better not let that get out, Ms. Bond. Your textile spy techniques are your trademark,” Lydia said, winking at her, then she fixed Ann with a serious look, “By the way, this is bad timing and I really don’t want to, but George called whilst you were outside, he can’t do without me and I need to go back tomorrow instead of Sunday. Apparently, he’s a poor, hopeless-with-nappies-man-child.”

Ann chuckled, happy it was nothing serious and playfully slapped her arm, “Lydia…”

Lydia looked apologetic, “And honestly, I want to get done with my project for work. I should have finished it by now and I can’t stand to go in on Monday morning and have your cousin Christopher tut at me for one more day.”

“But you’d be all alone on the train,” Ann looked at her with concern, she felt bad for having her go back to Halifax by herself.

“I won’t be alone, Delia said that she and Sophie are going to visit her grandmother and they’ll come with me.”

“Really?” Ann sounded skeptical.

“Really,” Lydia said with a nod.

“When was all this decided?”

“Two minutes before I came over here to stop you thinking poorly of yourself.”

“How did you-” Ann stopped herself, realizing she just admitted what she was thinking.

“I know you, Ann. You probably saw some small thing happen and then decided that you don’t deserve to be with someone that you’ve admired from afar since you were twelve.”

“Lydia!” Ann admonished, “I wasn’t _twelve_.”

Lydia smirked, “Well, twelve and a half then.”

“I shouldn’t have told you about it, I should have kept it-” Ann was interrupted by the movement of Anne walking over to the drinks table to take up the bottle of whiskey, she watched her pour a small amount into her rocks glass and then look over at them in the kitchen.

Ann’s heart sped up and she could have sworn Lydia would be able to hear it thumping in her chest, it felt so loud in her ears.

“Gossiping about the latest direction of the hemline, ladies?” Anne teased, “What’s the verdict this year? Up or down?” She said, as they walked out of the kitchen and nearer to where the older woman was.

“No, we were talking about… _plant anatomy_ ,” Lydia said, wryly.

Ann laughed and swatted her friend playfully, “Stop making fun.”

Anne gave a good-natured chuckle and held out her glass, “Would either of you ladies care for some?”

“I shouldn’t,” Lydia demurred.

“I’d love some,” Ann said, with a smile, suddenly feeling bold and forgetting, on purpose, that she was not supposed to drink too much. Catherine cleared her throat, causing Ann to turn and look at her, she had an eyebrow raised at her cousin. “But I really shouldn’t,” Ann said, with finality and bent her head down, sad that she had to refuse, “I, um, I had too much already.”

“Well, in that case,” Anne said, with a nod of solidarity, “I shouldn’t either.”

Lydia stepped forward and took the glass from her, “Well, if neither of you _teetotalers_ will partake, then I shall.”

“Lydia!” Ann exclaimed.

“Oh, don’t ‘Lydia’ me,” She said, defiantly holding up the glass to show her the fine amber elixir, “This is damned good whiskey and I’ll not watch it go to waste.”

The two other women laughed and watched as she took a good long sip, letting the burn go down her throat nicely.

Ann sighed a little too audibly and Anne narrowed her eyes in her direction.

“That does look good,” she admitted to Anne. Then a thought occurred to her, “Wait, Lydia, if you’re going home tomorrow, then that means I’ll have to go back alone on Sunday.”

Lydia recovered her breath after a few moments and let out a slight cough before starting to speak.

“What’s this?” Anne asked.

“Nothing important,” Ann suddenly realized that it would make her look foolish to Anne.

“No, you said you’d have to go alone back to…Halifax on Sunday?”

“Yes,” Lydia said, finally able to speak. “Whew, sorry, I haven’t had whiskey in a good long while. Yes, I have to go back tomorrow rather than Sunday and I forgot about Ann having to travel by herself,” she lied.

“Oh, well, I think I can be some service there,” Anne said, with a smile. “I’ve decided to go sooner rather than later, back to Shibden, in fact, Marian and I were just discussing it. Would you mind me traveling back with you on Sunday, Ann?”

“W-wh…” Ann started to ask ‘why’ then said quickly, “No. No, I wouldn’t mind at all.” Her voice showed how happy she was at the prospect.

“Oh, that’s such a help, Anne, are you sure it’s no trouble?” Lydia asked. 

“Not at all, it would be a help to my Aunt for me to be back there now, and if it helps Ann not to have to travel alone, then that’s a bonus.” Anne said and then smiled at Ann; whose pulse started to rise at the way the look from the older woman made her feel.

Harriet suddenly spoke up from her seemingly immovable place on the sofa, “Totally unrelated, is there a term for sex in a train loo? The ‘Miles Long Club?” She laughed at her witty joke.

All eyes turned to where she was on the couch, it was evident that she had clearly been steadily drinking for most of the night. All eyes that was, except Ann’s, hers were closed in a silent prayer in the hopes that Harriet would stay quiet and no one would ask her to elaborate. Sophie was gawking at Harriet with a bemused look and was about to say something when Catherine shot her a look that silenced her and then she poked Delia’s shoulder, pre-emptively stopping her from saying anything to Harriet so that the comment would die out. Delia’s lips formed into a pout. 

None of the action of the past minute was lost on Anne, though she barely showed that she had heard or saw any of it. She looked at Ann and asked, “So, what do you say I call you tomorrow and we’ll confirm our plans?”

Ann didn’t look like she had heard Anne and Catherine acted quickly.

“Why don’t you come for lunch, Anne? You and Marian. Ann and I had planned to cook for the ladies and now it’s only going to be the two of us, we’ll have all this food…”

“Oh, sorry,” Marian said, quickly. “I have a date tomorrow, he’s taking me to the Tate and then we’re having lunch somewhere nice, though he won’t tell me.”

“Is this the one you were telling me about earlier?” Lydia asked. “He of the ‘lovely face’?”

“Yes, Thomas. He just texted me to confirm,” Marian held up her phone as proof, when she saw her sister’s raised eyebrow.

“That’s wonderful,” Lydia said, hoping to avoid any further tension after Harriet’s poor attempt at joking. “Harriet will no doubt be sleeping off her folly,” she said, then turned to now quiet woman and spoke loudly so she could hear through her drunken stupor, “Are you going to come see us off tomorrow Harriet?”

“More like we’ll have to carry her to her flat on the way there,” Delia said, with a bit of a side-eyed glance at the woman in question.

In all of this back and forth, Ann Walker had remained completely silent. She no longer had her eyes closed, but she was not participating in any of the conversation. Anne was about to put her hand on her shoulder when Marian stepped up and pulled her back slightly.

“We really should be going, Anne,” she said, with a concerned smile, and tilted her head at Ann.

Anne shrugged and narrowed her eyes at her sister questioningly.

“Will you come tomorrow?” Ann asked suddenly, turning her head towards Anne.

Anne was slightly taken aback at the sudden question from the woman who was seemingly mute a moment ago, but she quickly recovered and smiled at her. “If you want me to…”

“Yes, please,” Ann said, sounding a bit over eager, she recovered, “I mean…if you aren’t doing anything. It’s just…like my cousin said, we have all this food and it’d be a shame to let it go to waste.”

“Well then,” Anne smiled, “It sounds like I will see you ladies tomorrow,” She felt glad that Ann’s smile returned, lighting up her face. “What time?”

Ann hadn’t thought of that and now she wracked her brain to think of an acceptable time. The longer it took her to think of something the more she started to fret about not being able to think of one. And now she knew her stutter would be in full force if she spoke, so she couldn’t get it out.

Catherine saw that and chimed in, “What do we say about two o’clock? Is that too early? What do you think, Ann?”

“Perfect,” Both of the Ann(e)s answered.

Marian laughed, “We’re going to have to come up with a nickname for at least _one_ of you.”

Everyone laughed and Anne looked into Ann’s eyes, thinking her very pretty when her face lit up like that. ‘No, none of that now,’ she chided herself, ‘You’re just trying to be her friend and hoping she’ll work with you, that’s all.’

Anne stopped all thoughts of smiles and lit up faces, she turned to Catherine, back to business mode, “Well, now that’s settled, I bid you adieu, Ms. Rawson, thanks so much for having us,” she said and smiled warmly at her. Marian thanked her as well.

“It’s Catherine, _Anne_ and it was great catching up with old friends,” Catherine she said, sincerely, then called to her sister, “Delia, come say goodbye to Anne and Marian.”

As goodbyes were said, Ann had started to feel a little like the odd person out again and receded from the others. This was again not missed by Anne who discreetly watched her back up and look like she was trying to blend in with the furniture as she sat on the sofa.

Harriet sat up to look at her friend. “Sorry, Annie,” she said, trying not to be too loud.

Ann shook her head at her, not wanting to call any attention to herself. Looking up at the group still saying their goodbyes at the door, she caught Anne looking at her giving a smile and a wave. Ann smiled and waved back, thankful that the actions of Harriet, Delia and Sophie didn’t seem to spoil anything. Hopefully.

After Anne and Marian had left, Catherine turned to her sister and the other two would-be-spoilers and gave them a piece of her mind.

“This was all your idea, Delia, you, Sophie and Lydia worked this whole thing out, got me to go along with it and you almost spoil the whole thing!”

“I didn’t think…” Delia tried to defend herself.

“No! You didn’t think, you never do, apparently-”

“Catherine, don’t get so cross,” Ann spoke up and tried to defend her other cousin. “No one spoiled anything.”

“No, they didn’t, thanks to _you_ and your level head. I was mortified and didn’t know what to say after what Harriet said about,” Catherine’s voice raised as she looked at Harriet, “… _sex in a train bathroom_ …” She looked back at her cousin, and her voice was less angry, “If it weren’t for you bringing everyone back around to the question of the lunch tomorrow, I don’t know what would have happened.”

“Do you think she suspected this was all a set up?” Lydia asked, worriedly.

“I think if she cared, she wouldn’t have accepted tomorrow’s offer,” Catherine reasoned.

Ann sighed, “I appreciate you all trying to help me with this, but…”

“Ann, you’re not getting cold feet are you?” Lydia asked, worriedly. “You simply can’t…not after the lengths…”

Ann narrowed her eyes at her friend and asked, “Did George really call you back early tomorrow, or was that also a-”

“No, he really is useless with the baby on his own and I do need to work on my project,” Lydia said, half-truthfully.

Ann could see there was something Lydia was still hiding. “But?” She asked.

“Delia and Sophie aren’t coming with me tomorrow,” Lydia said, and looked sheepish.

“Lydia!” Ann, Catherine and Delia exclaimed at the same time.

“Well, it would have been really odd for Ann to be back in Halifax and not see them anywhere next week.”

Delia hissed, “You could have waited until she got there…”

Ann laughed at the absurdity of this whole ruse they had going, “Why even lie about it at all?” she asked.

Lydia spoke up, “Because then they thought you would decide to come back early with me so that I wouldn’t be alone on the train ride home.”

Ann fixed her with a resolute look, “Oh no, you’re on your own there, babes. I have my plans set.” She ended with a nod.

“Ann!” It was Lydia’s turn to be incredulous. “You don’t feel the least bit sorry that I’ll be all by myself?”

Just then, Harriet came to life again and started singing, “Alllllll byyyyyyyy myseeeeellllffffff…”

Sophie and Delia chimed in, “Don’t wanna beeeee…”

“Oh lord, I’m off to bed,” Ann said, with a wave of her hand at her ridiculous cousins and friends.

Catherine followed her to the room she was staying in.

“I’m sorry about them, Annie, I really am. I shouldn’t have listened to their hairbrained scheme…”

“Cate, no, stop. They were just…trying to help me out. I mean, I did kind of ask for this. But I guess we didn’t factor in the alcohol and what it does to Harriet and your sister.”

“They’re absolute messes,” Catherine shook her head, then looked sincerely at her cousin. “How was it on the balcony, really?”

Ann sighed and sat on the bed. 

“It was nice, I was really nervous, I can’t believe I didn’t make an absolute fool of myself. Seamus was my saviour, if I didn’t have him on my lap, I think I would have jumped.”

Catherine was alarmed by that, “Oh, please…Ann… _please_ don’t say things like that.” She remonstrated her cousin.

“Catherine, it’s a _joke_.”

“But…you know…what…happened last year…”

“Don’t remind me,” Ann shook her head and then looked at her cousin square in the eye, “Cate, believe me, please. I’m _not_ that person anymore.” Her voice was strong and convincing.

Catherine went and sat on the bed next to Ann and put her arm around her shoulder, “I know,” she said, understandingly, “You’re leagues better than that. I just worry sometimes that-”

“Don’t, Catherine, _please_.”

“I won’t,” Catherine said, sincerely, “Now, tell me what else happened out there…” She smiled naughtily, “You really didn’t discuss _plant anatomy,_ did you?”

“It was all very respectable.” Ann said, piously.

“Really?” Catherine was suspicious. She had heard many stories about Anne Lister over the years and except for maybe a handful from the woman in question’s Aunt Anne, none of them were respectable.

“Yes, really,” Ann said, with a nod, “She was a perfect gentlelady, woman, gentle ladywoman. Gentle…woman, gentle person?” Ann’s face fell, “Oh no, I didn’t ask about her pronouns,” she said, suddenly worried.

Catherine chuckled, “I think that’s maybe the least of your worries.”

“Why?”

“She posted them on her Instagram not long ago.”

Ann looked relieved then worried again, “What’s the most of them?”

“Well, like, what to talk about tomorrow, what you’ll wear, whether we’ll burn the food. Oh, and did you want me to fake having to go for a work emergency?”

Ann smiled and shook her head, “No, I do _not_ want you to lie and say someone seized at their desk and you’re the only other person to be able to handle whatever it is you do at that office.”

Catherine looked smugly at her cousin, “You think you’re so clever, don’t you? So cool and confident with your cleverness.” She playfully poked at her cousin’s shoulder, “I’m just looking out for you.”

“I know you are, and I sincerely appreciate it, Catherine,” She looked sincerely at her cousin, “Really I do.”

Catherine nodded, “Any time, Annie, you know I’d be there for you for anything. I think you, more than anyone in this world, deserve to be happy and I’m going to do my darndest to make that happen. I think you’ve waited long enough for it,” she waited for that part to sink in before she said, “waited long enough for _her_.”

Ann looked a little shocked, but then melted at the sincerity and truth of her cousin’s words. She pulled her in for a hug of gratitude and when it ended, she gave her a kiss on the cheek.

As she pulled away from her cousin, Ann said, “I know you did a lot tonight, reigning Delia and Harriet in for me and I can’t thank you enough.”

“Oh, no need to thank me. But, Harriet, what the devil got up her bonnet?”

Ann shrugged, “She’s never liked Anne, apparently? I don’t really know.”

“When did this happen? You remember that time we were at Stoney Royd and Anne sang and Harriet sounded like the biggest Anne Lister groupie in the world?” Catherine smirked at the look on Ann’s face, “Well, besides you, President of the Anne Lister fan club.”

Ann smiled at her cousin, then looked worried, “I don’t know. Apparently, she and Eliza Priestley have been as thick as thieves in London.”

Catherine was puzzled, “But Eliza is a good friend of Anne’s, why would that matter?”

Ann said, gravely, “Eliza’s not always as friendly as she seems and I fear, though I don’t know, that something’s happened to change Harriet’s mind.”

“What do you mean ‘Eliza’s not always friendly as she seems’?” Catherine asked, puzzled.

Ann leaned in closer, “Eliza talks plenty about the Lister’s and their ‘showing off of their good fortune’. I think she’s jealous of them and Anne’s growing popularity.”

“Why the family though? Because Shibden is about to become an attraction?”

“I think so.”

Catherine sighed, “These old biddies, Annie,” she shook her head and smirked at her cousin, “If I ever become one of them, please, stop me and put me in a home. Just visit me with some Veuve and the Barbara Cartland’s that have been handed down to the female descendants of William Walker and John Rawson for decades.” She said, dramatically.

Ann laughed, “How can I stop you, when I’ll be one of them myself?”

“Never!” Catherine said sincerely, “You’re the nicest person anyone could have asked for a sister, cousin, daughter or a soon to be wife,” She added with a saucy smirk.

Ann smiled and blushed at that and looked down at her hands a little worriedly, “I don’t want to get my hopes up…”

Catherine said, sincerely, “It’s good to be cautious and measured. But don’t close the door on it, just because you think something happened when it didn’t.”

Ann knew she was talking about the way she got down on herself earlier, thinking that Anne had been laughing at her. Thanks to Lydia that it didn’t get that far.

“I’ll try not to.” Ann said, nodding her head.

“Good, that’s all I ask. Now, let’s plan what we’re going to do for lunch tomorrow. I think we’ll need to spice it up a little, don’t you? Can’t just do the toasted cheese and soup we were going to do, not with your betrothed coming.”

They laughed and then spent the next fifteen minutes finalizing the plans for lunch before turning in to bed.


	5. You Don't Need To Be Frightened

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne and Marian discuss the party and Marian reveals something. Anne tries to find out what it all means and goes to see the Priestley's before her lunch with Catherine and Ann. Harriet's probably driving the porcelain bus somewhere. Barking at the pavement? Yelling at Uncle Ralph on the big white phone? Oh, you get my meaning. 🤢

“You’ve been unusually quiet this morning,” Marian said, looking at her sister who was at the counter, making her signature green protein boost, something or other health shake. “Did you have a good time last night at least?”

Anne looked up, a little unseeingly, she had been deep in thought.

“Hmm?”

Marian raised her voice to be heard over the infernal machine, “I said, did you have a good time last night?”

Anne smiled and tilted her head a little to the side and turned off the blender, “Yes, as a matter of fact, I did. Though, Delia Rawson might need to be horsewhipped.”

“Anne! You’re so terrible! No one horsewhips anyone anymore, you despot,” Marian scoffed, but she was secretly amused. Delia _was_ in need of some kind of discipline, she was still so immature. “It’s curious though, to see two sisters bickering and deviling each other more than we do. Gives me hope.”

Anne laughed and nodded her head knowingly. With her health shake done and poured, she joined Marian at the breakfast table to read her correspondence.

“Sure you don’t want any toast?” Marian asked, pointing to her plate.

“No, just this, I’m having lunch later with Catherine and Ann.”

Marian knew she needed to tread lightly here, but she was so curious as to how it went between them on the balcony. She didn’t dare speak of it last night. On their way back to the flat, the only things they really talked about were how much Delia deviled her sister, the problems with Anne’s book, about Anne going back to Halifax and the opening of Shibden to the public.

“Are you cross about being ‘set up’?”

Anne looked up at Marian with a small smile on her lips, “I found it amusing, actually. I’m also still trying to figure out exactly what it’s all about. Do you know? Was it for a date with Ann, though I am not entirely sure she actually likes women, or because I need an illustrator?”

Marian’s brow furrowed, “You mentioned William potentially being in on that, do you think that the Rawsons set it all up so you could meet Ann and hire her?”

Anne sat thinking for a moment, “Well,” she said as she turned her head slightly to the side and quirked an eyebrow, “….it did seem rather convenient timing.”

Marian shook her head, smiling knowingly.

“What is it, Marian? I know that look. What’s going on?”

“Well, I shouldn’t say anything, I mean, I had no idea about it all except that they wanted you to join our little get together in a big way, but apparently…” Marian lowered her voice, which was curious because there was no one else in the flat, it made Anne look around to see if anyone had just walked in, “There is something of a…an… _event_ that happened…”

Anne looked at Marian, waiting for her to come out with whatever she was trying to say, after a few moments she said, “Marian. What is it? Just say it, you know that I don’t like having to pull teeth in a conversation, I’m not a dentist.”

“Well…it’s just…”

Anne sighed, “Marian.”

“The thing is…Ann…came out…as _queer_ …recently, but she’s…” she stopped as she thought of how to put the next part.

Anne looked at her blank-faced but she was surprised to hear it confirmed, despite the vibe she got from Ann last night she still never completely assumed.

When Marian didn’t continue, Anne said, “Yes, I thought she might have been trying to reveal that to me, but she was so shy about it that I didn’t want to push. But _apparently_ , you have some information I don’t, so… _out_ with it.”

“Well…she may have come out as queer _recently_ , but apparently she’s been _gay_ for you since she was a school-girl.”

Anne frowned, then blinked slowly, her mouth hanging slightly open, as she was processing that information. She realized what she might look like to her sister and closed her mouth, trying to make her face neutral. “Well.” Was all she said.

Marian continued, “Harriet indicated that it might have been since Ann was a pre-teen and Delia agreed, though I wouldn’t give those two much credibility with information, but the others had said much the same about her being in love with you for a long time.”

This information floored her, but she continued not to outwardly show it and simply said, “I had no idea.”

“Who would? I mean it’s not as you would have been aware of her really. She’s over a decade younger than you. Besides, you were always away with Mariana, or chasing after Mariana, or-”

“I get it, Marian. I was never around. It’s just…I don’t really know what to say. I mean…I didn’t think that she really would be into...” Anne stopped herself before she admitted that she didn’t think Ann would ever be into her. She recovered and continued, “…I never thought she’d be into women. What with all the church she goes to and-”

“Oh, so women who have religion can’t be queer? Didn’t you always say that being gay was _not_ about bucking morality?”

“Yes, and it’s true.”

“But you felt that Ann Walker went to church so she couldn’t be gay,” Marian shook her head. “What’s the word for that?”

Anne didn’t humor her in her quest for getting one over on her sister.

She couldn’t tell Marian the real truth, that she felt a woman like Ann Walker, who was young, pretty and very wealthy would never really be into Anne. She dated some women like that, and try as she might to make it work, they just never were into her for her. They were always out to get something. Her connections, semi-fame, her ability to pleasure them, but they never were head over heels in love with her. She could tell because at the first sign of trouble in their relationship, they never tried to make it work. They were usually out the door, before she could ask what was wrong or made her jump through endless hoops to get back on their good side, only to ultimately leave her when they had gotten what they wanted out of her. The sad thing, that she had realized only too late, was that’s what she came to think relationships were and that she was the problem. Being too intense, too love starved, too inquisitive and the ever dreaded: Too needy.

“You’ve made your point, Marian.” Was all she would concede.

Marian grinned satisfied and sipped her coffee as Anne drank her smoothie, deep in thought.

She was going over last night and how it went between her and Ann. After much deliberation, going over each interaction, no matter how small, she still had to admit, that despite the sparks between them, which she felt to be all on her side, she would never have guessed what Marian just said was true. In fact, she was starting to think that Ann was just being polite to her, letting her stay with her out on the balcony but not really wanting her company. Of course, that was part of her defense mechanism, just incase it didn’t work out, she would have tempered her feelings and coached herself not to care much, so she didn’t end up devastated.

She also tried to process what this revelation would mean for her book. If Ann were in love with her and Anne rejected her, she would probably lose her drawings and even if she didn’t, would they change in quality and would she have to let her out of her contract to save herself from being a laughingstock? She didn’t always mean to be so cold in business, but she worked damn hard to get where she was, on the precipice of real consequence and accolades and she wanted to make sure she wasn’t left vulnerable to having it go up in smoke in an instant.

“Interesting…” Anne said, finally, in a low voice and trailed off.

Marian looked up from the magazine she was reading, “What is?”

“This whole business,” she looked up at her sister and shrugged.

Marian furrowed her brow and asked, “Was nothing said between you about that when you spoke last night?”

“No, nothing,” Anne again went back over their conversation in her head to see if she had missed anything, any sign from Ann that she should have picked up on, “We talked about my travels and of how she gets inspiration for her art,” she looked up at her sister piously and said, “and about plants…”

“You really did talk about plant anatomy out there, didn’t you?” She shook her head, “You’re ridiculous.”

“What? She brought up her love for gardening, so it was a natural progression…” Anne trailed off, suddenly remembering all the little looks and the way Ann blushed when Anne complimented her. Her heart started to race again. ‘Oh, bollocks,’ she thought, ‘What am I going to do?’

“What’s the matter?” Marian said, “You look like you’ve seen a spirit.”

“Nothing…” Anne said, and shook her head, she was going to be contrary and argue that spirits weren’t able to be seen but she decided to change the subject, “So, what was with Harriet Parkhill? She looked like she smelled spoilt milk when she saw me.”

Marian nodded, “I could see that. She’s never said anything to me about not liking you. In fact, she asked me about you quite a lot when I started working with her.”

Anne narrowed her eyes, “Something must have been said.”

“About what?”

Anne looked away and stared into the distance before looking back at her sister. “I don’t know, but I’m going to have to find out.”

“Ooh, a sleuthing caper! Is this going to end up in the next book?” Marian said, with excitement. 

“Marian, everything is _not_ copy.”

Marian looked skeptically at her sister, “What have you done with the real Anne Lister, and how much money do I have to pay to make sure she’s stays gone?”

“Don’t make me horsewhip _you_ ,” Anne said, with a smirk.

Marian looked affronted, then muttered, “Can you pass me that letter from Aunt Anne, _Pol Pot_?”

*****

Anne went to her room after breakfast was over and decided to call her editor, she knew she should probably call her agent about whether or not he had requested Ann’s artwork to be considered for this job, but she also knew that William was Ann Walker’s cousin and that his wife would probably have the gossip she was looking for. She dialed their home phone.

“Eliza, good morning, it’s Anne. Sorry to bother you, is William in?”

“Oh, Anne, how lovely to hear from you. No, he’s gone out, walking the dog. Did you want me to take a message?”

“No, that’s fine, when do you expect him back?”

“Oh, probably thirty, maybe forty minutes?”

“Do you mind if I drop by in say twenty minutes?”

“No, not at all, we’d be delighted to have you. What’s the occasion?”

“Some business. I’m sure you’ve heard about Vere?”

“Mm, yes, such incredibly bad timing. I’m sorry for you.”

“Yes, well, thank you. But I also haven’t seen you in a while, I’d like to have a chat. Are you free?”

“Yes, yes, I’ll be here.”

“Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. See you soon.”

“See you soon,” Anne said, happy that her plan was coming together. She hung up the phone and slipped it into her pocket. Checking her look in the mirror one last time, she smiled and nodded at herself, then went to the foyer to get her coat.

“Marian?! I’m off!”

Marian stuck her head out of her room. “Have a good time, tell Ann and Catherine I said hello.”

“Yes, thank you, I will and you as well. Tell…uhhhh…tell…” Anne trailed off, she knew she shouldn’t tease Marian like this, but it was just too easy.

“You don’t remember his name, do you?” Marian asked and quirked an eyebrow at her sister. “ _Typical_.”

Anne gave her sister an arrogant but playful look, “Tell, _Thomas George Beech_ that I said hello and that he still hasn’t sent me his family tree or his bank statements.”

Marian eyerolled to end all eyerolls and said, “Did you need a hair sample as well?”

Anne shrugged and pointed her finger at her sister, “Wouldn’t hurt.”

“You are-”

“A sister looking out for your own interests, yes. No need to thank me. Now, I really must be off.”

“Isn’t it a little early? I thought you were lunching at two?”

“I’m going by the Priestley’s first, then walking over to Catherine’s, might stop on my way to get a bottle of something or other to drink.”

“Yes, that would be nice, I think the younger ones drank everything not nailed down,” she subconsciously put her hand over her liver and then asked, “Is it about your book? Going to the Priestley’s I mean.” She said, and came out of her room more.

“Mm,” Anne nodded and took in her sister’s outfit. It was a tasteful cardigan and skirt set with black tights underneath. “Is that what you’re wearing for your date?”

“Yes,” Marian looked down at herself and then back up at her sister questioningly.

“A _cardi_ , Marian?” Anne said, a little too judgmentally.

“We’re going to an art gallery, Anne, not hitting the clubs. What is wrong with it?”

“I just thought you’d give him a little more to hope for…”

Marian chuckled and shook her head, she unbuttoned her cardigan to reveal a black blouse with a plunging neckline that revealed a little more than her sister was prepared for, judging by the look on her face.

“Oh.” Was all Anne said.

“Not that it matters, what I wear, as you’re always telling me. Which I find really interesting since it appears, you’re going back on all your old beliefs lately,” she said, and pointed at Anne’s chin, “Your mouth is still open, be careful, you might catch a fly.”

Anne pointed at Marian’s chest, “Put those away. I’ll see you later. If you’ll be home that is.”

“Where would I be?” she asked, buttoning up the cardigan.

“I don’t know, what is this, the fourth date?” Anne looked at her sister knowingly.

Marian looked horrified, “The _third_ and I’ll thank you not to assume anything about what he and I get up to.”

“I saw a crane around the corner yesterday, Marian. Shall I call them to unearth the stick you have lodged in your rear? Or will Thomas hopefully remove that for you?” Anne asked, her face mostly serious with a hint of playfulness.

“Oh, sure, wait until it’s your third date with, Ann, then we’ll see how you like it, Ms. Manners.”

Anne furrowed her brow.

“What?” Marian became concerned. “Something’s happened already?”

“No, it’s just…I…I don’t know about…forming a…”

“Oh, Anne, don’t do this-”

“What? What am I doing?”

“You’re going to close yourself off romantically because you want her to work with you, aren’t you?”

“How can I know if she and I are going to work together? I haven’t even seen her drawings!”

“Well, I have, and I know you’ll be delighted with them.”

“We’ll see,” she said, as she opened the door then looked back at Marian, “I just don’t want to have another disaster.”

“Yes, well this one might be different, just give it a chance.”

“I can’t promise anything.” She said, with another nod and then left the flat.

“Make sure you have your-” Marian started to say as the door closed. “…key.” She said, finally and shook her head, sighing, “Heaven help the both of them see their way to happiness. For _my_ sake if nothing else.”

*****

Anne sat on the Priestley’s sofa, waiting for Eliza to finish her call in the other room. She looked around, the room and noticed that there were a few more pieces of art on the wall since she was here last, only four months ago. 

She had just gotten up to go study one of the pieces more closely, when Eliza came back into the room.

“Anne, please don’t get up, sorry to keep you waiting,” Eliza said, a bit out of breath, but looking like she relished the drama of it all. “I am no longer an editor, but some of my clients still call about their problems. You know how artists get.” She said, a little chuffed with herself.

“Oh?”

“You never do though.” Eliza said, looking a little put out.

“Well, since you retired and fobbed me off on your husband, I didn’t want to bother you.” Anne said, truthfully.

“How sweet you are,” Eliza said, playfully swiped at Anne’s arm before giving her a double cheeked kiss in greeting. “Sit down. Can I get you anything?”

“No, nothing, thank you,” Anne said, as she sat back down on the sofa. “You’re looking very well.”

“I find retirement very agreeable to me,” Eliza said, sitting down and smoothing out the material to her slacks. “So, you said you had something to discuss…”

Anne nodded, “Harriet Parkhill…” she said, not wanting to sound like one of the gossipy set, but she knew Eliza was close to Harriet’s family back in Halifax, so she might have information on what her problem was. “Do you know if I’ve done anything to offend her?”

Eliza looked thoughtfully, “To Harriet? No, not that I know of…why, what’s happened?”

“I don’t really know; I went to a get together last night at the Rawson girls’ flat and she looked at me like my cat had done it’s business in her shoe.”

“Oh, Anne,” Eliza said and screwed her face up at that visual. Anne loved that she could still devil her. “What a description.”

“You and Bill have made a lot of money on my descriptions,” Anne smirked and nodded towards the new artwork.

“Yes, well, I can’t argue with that, you are a very successful client and these are just something we’ve been saving up for.”

“I am very happy for you, they are exquisite,” Anne said, impressed.

“Thank you, our dealer has wonderful…suggestions,” Eliza felt a little uneasy at the conversation and steered them back on course, “Did Harriet say anything to you?”

“Nothing more than polite greetings and a non-existent goodbye due to her being passed out on the chaise longue.”

Eliza tutted at that and looked at Anne conspiratorially, “I think she’s got a bit of a drinking problem, does our Harriet…”

Anne raised a matching eyebrow, “Well, far be it from me to be a part of the gossiping circle from Halifax and Huddersfield, but I will tell _no one_ that I saw no less than three empty bottles of champagne by where she sat.”

“Hmm,” Eliza said, judging Harriet. “It’s always the ones to whom their parents have given so much.” She tutted and shook her head.

“I just thought she might have said something to you…”

Eliza thought, “No, no, nothing.”

Anne shrugged and then sighed, “Well, I’m sorry to have bothered you about this. I thought maybe I could find out what it was, so I could help smooth things over between us. I guess I’ll just have to do it the old-fashioned way.”

“Which is?”

Anne looked at her with a wry grin, “Ignoring that there’s a problem, until it comes out in a spectacular row.”

Eliza smiled, then narrowed her eyes, “Was Ann Walker there last night?”

“Eliza…”

“What?”

“Don’t play coy. You know she was.”

“Me? Playing coy?”

Anne knew that the older woman loved this sort of thing, pretending to know nothing about something to look superior, but really trying to hold all the strings and get even more information about people so she could use it on them.

Anne sighed, “If she’s in town, visiting her cousins and Harriet Parkhill was there, why wouldn’t Ann be?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about…”

“Surely you do.”

“No, I’m puzzled as to why you would think-”

Anne held up her hands in mock defeat, “Alright, alright. I just thought you might know something, no need to come to blows about it.”

Eliza looked satisfied with herself and said, “I _have_ heard from William that you might take his cousin on as your illustrator, if that’s what you mean?”

“Yes, well, I mean no, that’s not what I meant, but it’s what I wanted to talk to him about. I didn’t want to make it all about business last night, so I didn’t ask her if she had any of her drawings on her phone.” Anne said, not really sure if she should be telling her all this, especially with her current attitude, but she had nothing to hide and she knew William would tell his wife as soon as Anne left, so she really didn’t care if Eliza knew.

Eliza nodded, “I think it’ll be good for you both,” she stopped as she made a grave face, “…though…”

Anne wanted to do one of Marian’s signature eyerolls.

“Though?”

“Well, with what happened between you and Vere-”

“Is between me and Vere,” Anne said, showing she would brook no gossip about that, “Why should it be anyone else’s concern?”

“All I am trying to say is that Ann is very sensitive and if she were to become inveigled in some sort of relation-”

Anne raised her voice momentarily, “ _Eliza_ ,” she said, stopping her former editor from talking and went back to a more acceptable volume. “I am only looking for someone to illustrate my books, I’m not looking for any sort of relationship.”

Eliza nodded her head, pleased, but also looking a little skeptical.

Just then William came into the house with the dog.

“Bath!”

“What?!” Eliza asked, alarmed at his tone.

“This one needs a bath. Now! He fell into a mud puddle and now he’s covered from nose to tail in gunk!”

“Don’t let him on the carpet!” Eliza shouted then jumped up from where she was sitting and ran to the kitchen to get a few tea towels.

“Bill,” Anne stood up and nodded in greeting at him, watching him struggle to hold back the poor dog from scurrying over to Anne for a pat on the head, “How can I help?” She purposely didn’t call to the dog or try to look at him, as she knew that any sort of encouragement would have had the big, black Irish Setter, breaking away from his master to try to lick her face, as he always had done when she came to their house.

“Anne, hello,” He said, struggling with the leash. “Thank you, but no help is needed. Please, for your sake, don’t come near, he’s going to shake his coat any moment now and you’d get all splattered,” he said, taking the towels from his wife and attempting to wipe down the dog, who at that moment chose to do just what William said and shake his body to and fro to get all the wet mud out of his hair. William put his head down in defeat and started to wipe the walls, still holding back the eager dog.

“Bill, you and Eliza go, take him outside under the hose or to your shower, I’ll help clean the foyer.”

“Anne, no, you’ll get all messy. I know you’ve got a lunch date with my cousin later and I don’t want you to have to postpone or cancel that.”

Anne was taken aback about how quickly news traveled around here, “You know about that?”

“I might have been talking to her just before the dog went into the mud.”

Eliza shook her head at him with a very disapproving look. “I tell him, not to use that infernal contraption while he’s out walking the dog.”

“Eliza,” William pleaded.

She put her finger up to him, “Don’t you, ‘Eliza’ me! You cannot be trusted to do two things at once!”

He sighed again and looked at Anne incredulous.

Anne nodded and said decisively, “Bill, go ahead, take the dog to wash him. I’ll clean the foyer.”

She went to the broom closet, got a bucket and a mop and spent the next ten minutes doing as best she could to clean the mess the dog made of the floor. Thankfully, she wore dark clothes so some of what she might have got on her, wasn’t really noticeable.

She looked up as William came down from upstairs, wiping his hands, it was evident he had changed his clothes.

“Anne,” He said in greeting, holding his hand out for a shake. “I’m so sorry. Thank you for helping with that.”

“No worries, Bill,” She said, wiping her hands on a clean towel before accepting his handshake. “You’ll probably need a better going over on the wall there, I couldn’t find a sponge, so I used some of the towels, but other than that, I think you’re in pretty good shape.”

He smiled warmly, “Thank you, you didn’t have to do that, but I appreciate it,” He nodded his head and said, “So, I spoke to Ann, I floated the idea of maybe her working with you, I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all, I don’t know why, but I just couldn’t bring it up to her last night.”

“She said she had a lovely time, and that you’d be going over for lunch.”

“Yes, and now, thanks to you, it won’t be awkward if we talk about her work, I hope.”

“No, it shouldn’t be. She seemed very pleased at the prospect. I brought it up like an afterthought, not that you and I were planning anything.”

“Very good,” Anne smiled at him. “Look, Bill. Can I speak to you out-”? She indicated towards the door.

He sprung into action and opened it for her, “Sure, sure, come on, let’s walk.”

“I promise, I’ll try not to jump into a mud puddle,” She said, smirking at him.

Bill laughed uproariously as he followed her out of the door.

Eliza looked out the upstairs bathroom window and narrowed her eyes as she watched them walk. The dog took that moment to shake himself dry. “Oh, Judas!” She scolded.

“What can I do for you, Anne?” William asked.

“Well, Bill, I’ll tell you, it’s a really curious thing. I know you are my editor, and I’m not asking you to…” She looked at him to show her sincerity, “…for information, per se, but I have a hunch that something isn’t right…”

“About?”

“Well, I go to your office and find out about Vere’s decision, then you call me and tell me about your cousin and the fact that she might be a replacement for Vere.”

“Yes…”

“Then I meet her again, at a party at the Rawson’s.” She finished unblinkingly and waited for his reply.

“Anne, if you think…” William said, slightly worried that she would think he was a nepotist.

“I didn’t…I _don’t_ know what to think. Just, can you be honest with me?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

“Was this all a set up? With the Rawsons, I mean.”

William look genuinely puzzled.

“You mean with you being at that party with Ann Walker?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

She looked into his eyes, he met her gaze unflinchingly. She looked for a few more moments and then nodded her head.

“Okay.”

“Okay?” He said, hoping she were sincere.

“Okay,” she said, with a final nod. “I don’t mean to be cagey like that, but you know how I am about trust.”

“Yes, I do,” He said, sincerely. “Is everything alright?”

She ignored the question and asked one of her own, “Is Eliza mad at me?”

He sighed, “I don’t know, honestly, Anne. As you know, she went through the change of life about five years ago and I don’t want to be… _indelicate_ , but it seems like we’re going through those times all over again.”

Anne turned down the corners of her mouth in sympathy, “That bad?”

“It’s been pretty bad, yes. She thinks that everyone is disloyal to her.”

Anne hummed and thought about her recent interactions with Eliza, which were few and far between lately. Then she asked, “Do you know anything about Harriet Parkhill being upset with me?”

“Harriet,” he took a couple moments to think. “N-no…not that I know of…though…”

“What?”

“She was here the night before last…she and Eliza looked as thick as thieves…but I couldn’t tell you what it was about. I went upstairs to watch the football.”

Anne took a few moments to process what this might mean, but she didn’t really want to ask any more questions of William, lest he go back to Eliza and talk to her about it.  
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” she smiled at him and held out her hand. “Probably some misunderstanding, I’ll have a talk with Harriet, clear the air.”

“Very good,” he said, with a relieved smile and accepted her hand.

Anne put her other hand on his arm, “I appreciate this, Bill. I thank you for everything. Ann is a delight and I hope it works out between us…to work together, I mean, not…”

He held up his hand, “I don’t believe everything I hear, so you don’t have to apologize for anything. Just…”

“Yes?”

“If it does turn out to be more… _please_ …”

She looked a bit affronted, “What? Have another illustrator lined up? One preferably a man this time?”

“No,” he chuckled. “I just mean, she’s a little…fragile, delicate…”

Anne’s eyes narrowed slightly and then she gave him a gentle smile, “You don’t need to be frightened, Bill. I’m not intending to do anything but look at her drawings and hire her as my illustrator.”

“I know, Anne. But that’s what you said about Vere…”

“Well, I didn’t intend to fall in love. It just happened.” She put her arms out to the side to illustrate her point.

“Look, Anne, I don’t mean to come in between you and your love life, all I’m trying to say is that _if_ something happens between you and Ann, I’d not get in your way. You’re both of age and honestly, you’d probably be very good for her. It’d take her out of herself. I just worry that if it _didn’t_ work out, you’d have to find another illustrator and it’d surely push back the release date…and…” Again, he hesitated to finish his sentence and Anne was getting flashbacks of Marian this morning.

“And?”

He sighed like he was trying to make a decision, looked down at his shoes, then across the street, then finally back at Anne.

“I shouldn’t be the one to say. I’m just saying she’s delicate, you know that. She’s always been a nervous child and unfortunately it seems to have gotten worse as she’s gotten older.”

Anne nodded, knowing what he meant, based on all the talk in Halifax when Ann Walker was mentioned when she wasn’t present and not even then. Her Aunt Ann Walker loved to talk about Ann’s problems even when the poor girl was sitting beside her. 

She put her hand out for another shake.

“Bill, I appreciate it, really. Thank you and I’ll take what you said under advisement.”

“My pleasure,” he said. “Have a nice lunch.”

“Oh, just to let you know. I’ve decided to go back to Shibden sooner rather than later. I’m going back on the train with your cousin tomorrow.”

He looked at her surprised.

“Lydia Wilkinson had to go back earlier today and Ann was going to have to travel alone, and since-”

He put his hand up, “Say no more, thank you for doing that.”

“No need to thank me, saves me from also having to travel alone.” She smiled.

“You? Not liking to travel alone? Since when?”

“Since I stopped liking to hear my own thoughts.” She said with a self-deprecating chuckle.

He smiled, “Well, have a good trip, call me if you need anything. And I mean it, don’t worry if you and Ann hit it off-”

“Bill,” she said, putting her hands up and making a decisive gesture to illustrate her point, “I’ve decided, we’re to be just friends. I really like her company and I’d like to help her out, but I think it’s best if we just remained friends.” She nodded, resolutely.

He put his hand on her shoulder, “You know best. Take care.”

“Tell Eliza I said goodbye and let her know I’ll look in on New House for you.”

“Thank you, we can’t get away until June, so that would be helpful.”

“Not a problem, talk to you later.” She said and cast a backwards wave as she walked off towards the street that would put her on the most direct path to Catherine’s building.

William put his hand up in a small wave as he watched her stride quickly up to the avenue.

He smirked and said under his breath, “’ _Just friends’_ my Aunt Mary’s left foot, they’ll be wed within a year.” He chuckled to himself as he turned and walked towards home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, fess up! How many of you read the words "bucket and a mop" and immediately started singing WAP? Hmm? Yeah, me neither. *shrug* 🎶 Get a bucket and a mop, for this muddy bad doggie.🎵 🤭 Bless Cardi B. The lunch will be the next chapter. Thanks for sticking with me!


	6. I Don't Know Why...Oh, Lord...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lunch, it's happening. 😀

“Ms. Li- _Anne_ , welcome back, please come in,” Catherine said, with a wide smile on her face as she let Anne in the flat. “We’re so happy you could make it.”

“Thank you, Catherine,” Anne said, as she shrugged out of her coat, being careful not to disturb the package in her hand and gave it to Catherine to hang up. “It’s a bit colder out there today.”

“I know, I had to turn the fireplace on,” Catherine remarked and indicated towards the gas fireplace that was currently making the lounge look really cozy, she then turned towards the kitchen and called out to her cousin, “Ann, turn the flame down on the turnips and don’t fret, they won’t burn.”

‘Turnips’ Anne thought approvingly, her mouth already starting to water. She took in a deep breath and sighed, “It smells delightful,” Anne said, sincerely. The whole place permeated warmth and delicious smells and she suddenly realized she was ravenous. “I’m sorry I’m late, but I stopped to buy some champagne, I noticed you were a little low on it last night.” She said and held the package out to Catherine who accepted it with a grateful smile.

Catherine laughed, “Late? What, all of two minutes? You’re so funny,” she said with a sincere smile. “And thank you _so_ much, you didn’t have to bring anything,” she said and took the bottle out of the paper sack it was in and smiled, approvingly, “Oh, Veuve’s Ros _é champagne_. Oh, Ann adores this, she’s going to love it. She does love a glass of this every once in a while, and Harriet had such a thirst for all the champagne last night, _apparently_.”

“Well…” Anne said, happy that she had chosen the exact right thing. At the shop, she wasn’t sure which would be acceptable, and she didn’t want to look too over the top by getting both. This was just a lunch after all. Finally, she had chosen the one that seemed to look like what Ann might pick out herself: something pink and pretty.

“Come, sit down in the lounge, we have some hors d’oeuvres and I’ll bring you a drink. Yours was whiskey, right?”

“Well, I’ll have whatever you’re having, no need to go to any…”

“I’m having a Manhattan. It’s a bit of an obsession lately.”

“Perfect, that would be per…” Anne said and stopped mid-sentence as Ann came out of the kitchen, taking off her apron. “… _fect_.” She finished her thought and suddenly found her mouth to be a bit dry. Ann’s hair was pulled back into an upsweep with some tendrils falling around her face; her efforts in the kitchen succeeded in curling some of the strands and her flowered, summery dress was just the right amount of fun yet sexy.

Catherine noticed the look on her cousin first, Ann had stopped in her tracks when she came out of the kitchen and saw Anne Lister. It was a look she had seen dozens of other times at places they had been when the older woman popped into view. Not even just at any of the family and friends gatherings they were invited to, but any time they were out and about in downtown Halifax and Anne was spotted walking stridently to wherever she was going, her cousin would be mesmerized and then try to hide it. But Catherine knew.

Ann smiled at Anne, not trusting her voice just now. She was also dry mouthed and feeling like her tongue was suddenly stuck.

Her pulse picked up and her right eyebrow shot up ever so slightly as she took in the way the older woman looked. Anne was wearing a tasteful pair of black slacks, tucked into them was a shimmery silver button down shirt with French cuffs, that was opened at the front and revealed a black lace bodice top. It was a very sexy mix of feminine and masculine and Ann’s brain found it hard to form any other coherent thoughts.

“I…um…”

Catherine decided to take pity on them and start the conversation back up, “She’s been cooking up a storm in there, haven’t you, Annie?” She said, with a wide smile, she held out the champagne bottle to her cousin, “Look, Anne was a darling and brought us some Veuve!”

Ann looked at Anne and tried to say something, but she could feel a stutter coming on. However, when she held back, she knew it could get worse, so she pushed herself to speak, “T-t-thank you, I love that champagne.” She managed to say, finally and smiled gratefully at Anne.

“You’re quite welcome,” Anne said, surprised she could talk with her mouth so dry.

Catherine said, “I’ll just go get the champagne bucket with some ice for it and check on the first batch of puddings, shall I? We decided to do a roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, Anne,” she said, then looked slightly worried. “I hope you eat meat,” she turned to her cousin and lowered her voice, “Did we know if she ate meat?”

Ann nodded, “I…uh…” She didn’t want to reveal that in one of her conversations with Anne’s aunt that she found out she wasn’t a vegetarian, and that she rarely ate lunch, but made exceptions for special occasions.

Anne finally wrenched her gaze from Ann and said to Catherine, “Yes, I do, though, I try to keep it more to chicken and fish. I, however, am _greatly_ anticipating this roast. It smells heavenly,” she said and rubbed her hands together, before looking back at Ann and extending one of her hands for a shake. ‘Have to get ahold of this schoolgirl crush-like reaction to her.’

Ann stepped forward with a smile and accepted her hand. Curiously, her eyes narrowed into a thoughtful look.

“What?” Anne asked, alarmed.

“What happened to you?” She said, looking at her left cheek, concerned.

“What? Nothing…” Anne answered, truly puzzled.

Ann reached up to the left side of her face, “You have a few dirt smudges…” She said and wiped at them with the soft pads of her fingertips. All self-consciousness and timidity seemed to have dissipated from the younger woman.

Anne, however, was side swiped by her own nervousness at the soft touch and concern she could feel coming off of Ann in waves; it hit her like a bullet train. She wanted desperately to lean into her touch, but coming to her senses, she backed up slightly, gently breaking their contact and wiped at her own cheek.

“Oh _that_ , it…was the Priestley’s dog, he…he fell into a pool of mud and I helped them clean their foyer whilst they went and cleaned the muddy beast.”

“You stopped by the Priestley’s?” Ann asked and tucked her hands behind her hips.

Anne noticed the way Ann’s stance made her chest pop out more and she wished she could back all the way up and out of the flat, but instead she managed to say, “Y-yes, on my way here, just wanted to say hello, see Bill about…”

Ann nodded, “Yes, he called me earlier.”

“I didn’t want to be presumptuous yesterday, I had just heard about, my partner retracting her artwork…and then I didn’t want it to ruin the get together by being…”

“No, I know…” Ann said, with a soft smile that Anne tried to ignore.

“And then, this lunch, I’m not here because I’d like you to…” She trailed off as she twirled her finger to the side.

“Right.” Ann understood and gave her a soft smile and again, there was a feeling in Anne’s heart that had her annoying moral alarm going off in her head.

She continued speaking in order to keep her mind going in the hopes that she would calm down, not be so impetuous. “We could talk about the other thing on the train, or…or next week even. If you don’t mind. We could just have a nice lunch, which is all I was intending to do today.”

“I’d like that,” Ann said and smiled even wider; she felt bolder and less nervous as the moments ticked away.

“Feeling a little unsteady at the moment, I don’t know what’s come…” Anne decided not to finish the sentence.

Ann sprang into action decisively, “Come, sit down,” She put one hand on Anne’s waist and the other on her arm, steadying her and leading her over to a Queen Anne chair closest to where they were standing. “I’ll get you a cloth for your face…and then we’ll have some starters and that champagne; I can’t wait!” She said, excitedly.

“Wonderful,” Anne said, with a warm smile. Her heart was beating harder than intended and she was grateful to be able to sit down, “I suddenly feel really light-headed.”

“Ooh, do please, sit. Would hate it if you fell over,” Ann said, with a very concerned look on her face as she guided Anne to the chair.

“I’m really very sorry,” Anne said, not sure what was happening to her at the moment. It wasn’t so much that she felt lightheaded, just out of sorts and very famished. ‘Oh, Lord,’ She thought. ‘I only ever get hungry like this when I start to fall for someone.’ “Thank you, Ann.” She managed to say, as she was urged to sit and then waited patiently for the cloth to be brought to her.

Where was the swagger? The bravado. The bold and slightly naughty conversation. She was having an incredibly hard time summoning it. All she could think about was Ann in that summer dress, with her hair up, concerned about her wellbeing.

Anne was scared. This wasn’t supposed to be this way. She didn’t feel like this when she saw Ann last night, sure she was pretty and what she was wearing last night was nice too, but what had changed? At the party she was herself, she had _it_ , she was cool, calm, collected. She was able to get close to Ann, to look at her, flirt with her, touch her even, and today she was a wreck just by looking at her. Not to mention, five seconds of Ann Walker’s gentle touch and she was a plate of jelly, sitting vulnerable in the blazing sun. Hot, unstable, soft.

Melting.

‘Jesus Todmorden Christ’ Anne thought, and then closed her eyes, trying to get ahold of her raging libido.

Catherine came back in with the champagne bucket filled with ice and put the chilled bottle in it to keep it cold. “Anne, I thought we could have the champagne with the starters instead of the Manhattans, unless you’d rather have one now, but I thought we could have this and then the Manhattans and wine with the main-” She looked at Anne whose eyes were closed. “Are you alright?”

Anne opened her eyes quickly and focused on Catherine, “I’m…I’m uh, I’m fine. Just a little bit…” ‘Incredibly smitten with your cousin right now.’ She thought, but managed to get hold of herself enough to say, “I should have had something to eat earlier, I didn’t…not really and now I think my blood sugar is a little low.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, are you diabetic?”

“No, nothing like that, but I did walk quite a long way with not enough fuel and the smells from the roast are making me…”

Catherine worked quickly to make Anne a small plate of food and as she did that, Ann came back into the lounge with the cloth, handing it to Anne. Their fingers brushed ever so lightly and it made the older woman’s breath catch in her throat, which she immediately covered with a light cough. 

This was incredibly alarming to her. It was too intense, she was feeling everything too much, she had to do something to get this under control or she would make a fool of herself. She pulled at her collar as though it were bothering her, but it wasn’t too tight, it was just a reflex.

Ann reached for the cloth that Anne hadn’t even really registered was in her hand, “H-here, let me…” she said, making the older woman finally come to her senses.

“Oh, no need, thank you, I-I’ve got it thank you.” She said, quickly and started wiping at her cheek roughly with the slightly damp cloth.

“Oh, do be gentle, you’ll rub yourself raw.” Ann said, worried that Anne was going to take some skin off her cheek.

Anne closed her eyes to get ahold of herself again. In other times she would have made a slightly off-color joke about what Ann just said, or even just smirked and looked at her with a naughty grin. Now she sat frozen and mute, holding the cloth to her cheek like she had been cut and she was trying to stem the flow of blood. 

She tried to get a handle on things by telling herself, ‘Anne, you’re an adult, get ahold of yourself right now, or excuse yourself and walk out the door.’ Finally, mercifully getting control, she held her face to the side and asked, “Is it gone?”

“The dirt, yes.” Ann said, staring at her profile a little longer than she should. “Well, it’s just that n-now your cheek is just angry and red,” her breath hitched in her throat as she thought of kissing that cheek to soothe the welt Anne had made. She too was struggling with an overactive libido. “I-I wish you…you would have let me do it for you.”

Catherine was standing there, watching the exchange with a curious smile on her face, it was like they were two teenagers that finally met their crushes: Incredibly smitten with each other and nervous beyond belief. She found it very sweet and stifled the urge to tease them about it.

“Here, Anne,” Catherine said and handed her a small plate with an array of tasty bites. I’ll go check that everything is good on the stove, and get the glasses for the champagne, or would you rather just some water?”

“No, that’s fine, the champagne will be lovely. Thank you for this, it looks delicious,” She said, looking at the cute little pastries, cheeses and crudité. Ann took the face cloth from her and gave her a linen napkin instead. Anne managed to look at her and grin, while laying the napkin on her lap, without her heart or stomach doing violent flips, or Heaven forbid, dropping the plate of food on the floor. This was progress, she mused as she started to tuck into the food. Catherine came back out of the kitchen and went to the breakfront to get the champagne glasses, handing each of them one and then pulling the bottle out of the ice, wiping it off with a towel before starting to remove the foil around its neck.

Anne chuckled as she saw Ann put her glass down and put her fingers up to her ears, flinching away from where Catherine was twisting the wire cage open and pulling the cork out of the bottle, with the confident movements of one who did this quite a few times. The cork was extracted with a loud pop and Anne smiled at the thought of how a few more touches from Ann, and she would be doing just the same thing. She tried to rid herself of thoughts like that and went back to admiring her plate.

“I like how you got the cranberry-brie tarts into the shape of hearts.”

“Those were all, Ann, she’s the Chef around here,” Catherine said, as she pointed at Ann’s glass so she would give it to her.

Ann let out a small hum of pleasure as she took her fingers out of her ears and gave her glass to Catherine; she was eager but she held it patiently as it was poured it for her. Rather than drink it, she walked over to Anne and traded glasses with her. It was a small gesture, something innocuous, and yet it showed a level of respect and caring that had Anne’s heart racing with her head feeling like it was blocked up with cotton. She watched dumbly as Catherine poured some for Ann who walked over to the seat opposite her and sat down. Ann’s lips parted slightly and Anne could see the barest hint of her tongue poking out to wet her lips, before smiling at gratefully back at the older woman, mouthing a thank you for the champagne.

“Now wait a minute, ladies; before you start drinking, let me fill my glass and we’ll do a toast,” Catherine said, smiling as she was pouring herself a glass. “What should we toast to?” she asked, as she stood in front of her chair and held up her arm in a toast position.

“Um…” Ann said, trying to think. “I…uh…”

“To…” Anne chimed in and drew a blank.

“Fresh starts? No that doesn’t sound right…New beginnings?”

Ann spoke again, “H-how about just to say…’May the saddest day of our futures be no worse than the happiest days of our past.’”

“Ooh, that’s a good one, Annie,” Catherine said, and raised her glass to her cousin. “Cheers.”

“Cheers,” Anne said, nodding and raising her glass to each of them. She took a long slow sip of the tart bubbly liquid. She softly hummed in approval after she swallowed.

Ann watched her as she drank, a bit mesmerized herself, by the look on Anne’s face and the sound she was making.

Catherine caught the look and tried not to stare, she took a quick sip of hers and asked, “How good is that?” She shot an approving glance at Anne and smiled.

“I usually don’t go for the Ros _é_ , but this is really very good.” She said, looking the liquid in the glass and smelling it like a connoisseur.

“It’s very, very good.” Ann said, taking another sip, this one longer. Her nose tickled from the bubbles and she scrunched it up slightly.

‘God, please, I ask you for nothing really,’ Anne pleaded silently. ‘Please let me get through this lunch _without_ proposing marriage.’

As they ate, drank and made small talk, everyone seemed to relax. After a while, Anne excused herself to use the bathroom as Catherine and Ann went to check on the main course.

“Should be just about ten more minutes on the roast, Annie, then we can let it rest for about ten to fifteen, don’t you think?”

Ann nodded, “The potatoes in the top oven are probably done at the same time. We can just leave it in the warmer if they finish sooner.”

“Are you going to do a sauce?” Catherine asked.

“Definitely.”

“From a packet?”

Ann looked at her annoyed, “From a packet?” She was affronted.

“Oh, excuse me _Chef Walker_ , I forgot you took a cooking course.”

“It was three weeks of hard, _painful_ learning, so I would appreciate it if you didn’t make a mockery of it, _Catherine_.” Ann said, haughtily.

“Yes, Chef!” Catherine said, standing to attention. “Do I do the next puddings now, Chef?”

“Take the other ones out of the oven first, you bloomin’ eejit!” Ann scolded her like Gordan Ramsay would have, albeit with a little less vulgar swearing involved.

“Sorry, Chef!”

Anne had finished in the bathroom and stood just outside the kitchen, listening to the performance of the cousins with a wide grin. She was surprised at how strong Ann’s voice was and how good she was at mimicking Gordon Ramsay’s voice.

Ann got right next to Catherine, looking at the side of her face, “Oi! Plonker! What in the feckin’ ‘ell are you doing, mate?! You haven’t even taken them out of the oven yet! Oh my God, do you want to kill everybody?!” She said, trying not to break character as Catherine was starting to titter. “Oi! Rawson, do you know what you are?!”

Anne had to stifle a laugh by placing her hand over her mouth.

“No Chef! What am I Chef?!”

“Come onnnn! You know what you are, Rawson! What are you?!” Ann got even closer to the side of her face and pointed at her with a wooden spoon.

“An idiot sandwich, Chef?!”

“Oh, you only _wish_ you were a sandwich, sandwiches are practical, and sustaining. No, mate, as it happens, you are an idiot scone!”

Catherine let out a peel of laughter and pushed her cousin away with a hip check. “Get away, you dictator. I’ve got to get the batter for the puddings.”

Using her normal voice, Ann said, “Put the pudding tins in the oven first to get them hot.”

“You really did take a course didn’t you?” Catherine asked, impressed.

Anne took that moment to make an appearance in the kitchen, “Mind if I help, ladies?”

“Oh, I think we’ve got everything covered in here, Anne,” Catherine said, with a certainty. “Chef Drill Instructor Walker has me pretty well in hand.”

Anne had to crane her neck to see where Ann had gone, she had retreated to the side of the icebox that stuck out further than the counter near the pantry. “I wondered what all the shouting was about.” She said, quirking her eyebrow at Ann with a smile.

Ann peeked around the corner of the appliance with a shy but cheeky grin on her face. “I’m tyrannical in the kitchen.” She said, showing her top teeth and wiggling her eyebrows like she was a nerdy chipmunk.

Both Anne and Catherine laughed at the funny voice and the dichotomy between Ann’s words and the face she was pulling.

Anne said, “Be right back,” quickly leaving the kitchen and then came back with the glasses and the now dripping bottle of champagne, “Can’t let the cooks go thirsty.” She said, pouring each of them a fresh glass. There was just about a couple of mouthfuls left in the bottle and feeling that boldness and bravado come back to her she held it out in a toast, saying, “Here’s to new beginnings and happy endings.”

Ann smiled and nodded at her, pleased with the words she chose, Catherine also gave her an approving nod. They clinked their glasses and bottle together and Anne pulled it back, tipping it up to her lips and finished the rest in one gulp. She wasn’t quite ready for the hit of the bubbles to the back of her throat and coughed with her hand covering her mouth, trying to keep it as closed as she could, not wanting to spray anyone with the liquid.

Catherine stepped up to pat her on the back as she continued to cough.

“Ooh, thank you. Wasn’t ready for the bubbles to be that intense,” Anne chuckled at how absurd she must have looked, “Then, as I was dealing with that, it went down the exact wrong pipe.”

Ann went to the other side of her and also patted her back. Waiting until Anne had gotten control of herself completely, she held her glass out to her and said, “ _Please_ , drink some of mine, I shouldn’t have too much and I want you to have a better toast.”

“No, I shouldn’t…it’s yours.”

“Please, I really want you to seal the toast with a good long sip.”

“Are you sure?”

“Perfectly.”

Anne took the glass from her and took a mouthful, careful to make sure it went down the throat and not the windpipe this time. When she was done, she handed the glass back to Ann.

“Thank you, that was much better.”

Ann smiled and said, “Of course. I’m glad.”

Anne watched as she tipped up the glass to her lips and took another long swallow of the rose-colored liquid. That swelling feeling in her heart was happening again, but this time she wouldn’t stop it, it was too delicious and she felt she needed some goodness in her life right now. She’d think about stopping these thoughts later.

As Catherine and Ann worked at the oven and stove, Anne sat on a stool at the island in the middle of the room and watched them work in unison. It was really a nice sight to see. Ann was very confident and guided Catherine expertly with what to do and Catherine looked much better without the scowl she perpetually had on her face whenever Delia was trying to get under her skin, which was all the time. Anne noted that she’d have to work on her relationship with Marian a bit more, so they didn’t end up like the two Rawson sisters, at each other’s throats constantly.

“Are you sure you ladies don’t need any help?” Anne asked, feeling bad that they were working away while she was finishing the little plate of appetizers that Catherine had made for her earlier.

“No, help required, just enjoy yourself,” Ann said, looking up at her with a smile while she was spooning some of the beef drippings into a saucepan to make into a gravy. “Would you like another drink? I think Catherine made the Manhattans…”

“No, the water is fine right now,” Anne held up her glass as an illustration.

“Wonderful, just have to finish the brown gravy and then we’ll be all set.” Ann turned back to the stove and put the cornstarch in the pan, whisking it with broth to get it to thicken.

“Actually Anne, you can help me get this roast onto the serving dish.” Catherine said, then nodded towards the roast that was on the counter next to her.

“Surely,” she jumped up and went over to the counter, she was just about to take the pan by the handles when Ann stopped her.

“Anne, potholders at all times!” She said, in her Gordon Ramsay voice, half kidding and half begin deadly serious.

“Oh dear,” Catherine said, with a smirk, “Drill Instructor Chef Walker is back.”

“No, she’s absolutely right, you never directly handle a pan or a pot that came out of the oven because you don’t know how hot it may still be.” Anne said, she realized she wasn’t thinking quite clearly yet, this new side of Ann, confident, capable and very funny, was starting to throw her for another loop. “Do you have the dish that this goes on and the carving fork? I’ll just put it on here without having to move the pan anywhere.”

Ann nodded at her with a smile as if to say, ‘Good job’ and Anne felt proud of herself.

Catherine gave her what she asked for, and the roast was brought to the island for finishing. Ann then spooned the carrots and small onions that were in the pan and stood back from it, proud.

Anne had to admit it was very good looking. It looked like it was ready for a picture that would go into House Beautiful magazine; one that would accompany the story of a chef they’d interviewed about their kitchen renovation and who just casually whips up an eight course meal to go with the story.

After all the accompanying dishes were laid out on the dining room table, Catherine took a picture of it all. “Who knows when it’ll ever look this beautiful again?” She said and put the phone back on a side table.

“It’s a pity Delia and Sophie weren’t here,” Anne commented, as she looked at all the delightful dishes, “This is definitely enough for at least five people with leftovers to boot.”

Ann and Catherine looked conspiratorially at each other. They had made Delia and Sophie go back with Lydia after all. After an hour of pleading with Delia the previous night, with no success, she called her grandmother early in the morning and the decision was made, their tickets bought online and waiting for them at the station. Catherine couldn’t bear the thought of Delia messing up this lunch for Ann, she would have seriously maimed her with the carving fork.

“I know, isn’t a pity?” Catherine asked, a little too cheery.

“Isn’t it _just_ …” Ann added, with a wry grin.

Anne was bemused by that and a question came to her mind, but she wasn’t sure how to ask it, deciding finally just to go for it.

“How long have Delia and Sophie been dating?”

Catherine’s eyes picked up quickly, surprised that Anne had figured it out, she guessed Sophie’s head in Delia’s lap towards the end of the night might have been the giveaway.

“Not for too long, Sophie transferred here last semester. They met online and the next thing we knew she was practically moved in. I’m curious, how did you guess?”

Anne shrugged and said, “Gaydar.”

Catherine laughed, “Delia’s always telling me about that, but hers is _so_ wrong all the time.”

“I don’t know Catherine,” Ann said, with a naughty smirk, “Katie Price could end up being gay and leaving one of her husbands for Delia, you never know. It could happen.”

Catherine and Anne laughed at that.

“Katie Price? _Really_?” Anne asked, incredulous.

Catherine nodded, “She’s always had a thing for her.”

“Explains the bad girl attitude.” Anne said, nodding.

“Oh no, that’s because Mother and Father never gave her a good hiding, being the baby of the family.”

Anne noticed that Ann was bothered by that sentence and changed the subject quickly.

“So, tell me, _how_ are you two related exactly? I mean I know you’re cousins, but how?”

“Well, Ann’s Aunt, Elizabeth Walker…”

Anne held up her finger to stop Catherine and said, “So William Walker, Ann’s grandfather. His daughter,” she continued, as she visibly put together their family tree in her mind, “Is married to John Priestley, which is how Ann and William are cousins,” she said finalizing that branch in her mind, “Got it.” She nodded at Catherine to continue.

“Right, and Elizabeth’s and John’s daughter Mary, married my Uncle William Henry Rawson.”

Anne nodded, thinking it over and said, “Mm, so Mary’s mother-in-law is your Grandmother, Nelly.”

“Exactly.”

“And William Henry is cousin-in-law to Ann.”

“Precisely.”

“Interesting.” Anne said, mulling it over.

“What is?”

“Oh nothing, really, I just love to think about genealogy and lineage,” she said, another question popping into her head had her wondering if she should ask it or not, but she was feeling a little bolder now and it didn’t stop her.

“Your Aunts are Emma Saltmarshe and Ellen Empson, are they not?”

Catherine looked impressed, suddenly understanding why Anne was so appealing to Ann, besides her looks, that is. She was really very engaging and it was exciting.

“Yes, they are.” Catherine smiled. She had heard some illicit rumors about her Aunts and Anne Lister, but she didn’t dare ask if they were true. Not in front of Ann, especially.

“We were friends, many years ago now. Very nice girls they were, I’m glad they’ve settled down with who appear to be nice men.”

“They are, actually. In fact, they might have wedded the last two nice men on the planet,” Catherine said, with a slightly bitter chuckle.

“And how about you? Have you found someone yet?”

Catherine looked a little forlorn, “I thought I had someone, but…it didn’t work out, unfortunately. Sometimes I wonder if I should try what Delia and Sophie have with declaring their relationship open.”

“They have?”

“Yes, apparently Sophie insisted, or she wouldn’t come over from Denmark.”

Anne was taken aback by that, while she was an impudent child most of the night, she got the feeling that Delia was a bit possessive of people and would probably fight for Sophie more than the Danish woman expected her to, if it came to it. Though Anne was pleased that her ability to figure out people still worked, she could tell Sophie was trouble from the moment they locked eyes.

Unfortunately, trouble was always one of Anne’s passions.

Anne grinned at her, understandingly and said, “You’re still young yet, there’s plenty of time for that. For finding ‘ _The One_ ’.”

Anne then turned her focus on Ann, “And how about you, Ann? Ha…” Anne’s voice suddenly seized up and just in time, she was going to ask a question of Ann, that she damned well knew the answer to, and it would have embarrassed Ann to try to lie about it. The other women were looking at her expectantly and she quickly finished her question, “Have you ever thought of being in an open relationship?”

“What?” Ann’s brow furrowed. “I-uhhh, no I…” She said trying to find something else to say and then abruptly finished with, “No.” Shaking her head decisively and left it there.

“No…” Anne was suddenly sorry she had asked it that way.

“No, that’s not something…that I’d want.” Ann said, and started cutting her meat.

Anne wasn’t sure, but it looked like Ann was now a little mad, so she tried to change course with the conversation yet again.

“No, I’ve been in situations like that, it never, ever ends the way you thought it was going to. No matter how much you tell yourself this time would be different.”

Catherine looked at her gratefully for saving that part of the conversation and gave her a sympathetic smile.

Anne continued, “No, Ann, you’re so wise to know exactly what you want out of a relationship, before you go into one and having the conviction to stick to your guns.” She was pleased as Ann’s face seemed to relax and the awkwardness that had descended on them dissipated.

“Isn’t this lovely?” Catherine asked, sincerely. “After all this time, knowing each other but not really and then to be able to break bread together like this.”

“You’re so right, Catherine,” Anne smiled, “I’m glad you ladies invited me last night, it’s been such fun getting to know you all as adults.”

“Oh, I sincerely apologize for all of us, with how we were as children and teens. I shudder to think about those times at Stoney Royd when you’d come to tutor me in Latin and Greek.”

“I’m pretty sure it wasn’t your fault that you weren’t such a good student,” Anne said, with a knowing smile. “Delia deviled you at every turn.”

“Yes, yes, she did, and _still does_. But there were also boys, that I was endlessly chasing after and my head was never completely in my studies.”

“Really? I always thought you to be very straight laced, studious.”

Ann laughed and caught herself, then looked over at Catherine apologetically.

“No, you’re so right, Annie. I always was able to hide the boy craziness around company, but poor Ann knows the lengths I would go to try and hook one of the devastatingly handsome bad boys that always broke my heart. Isn’t that right?” She looked at her cousin. “Picking up the pieces of my shattered heart, only to do it all over again the next week.”

Ann smiled sadly at her cousin, “It’s part of growing up, I suspect. But it did help me to know what not to do.”

Catherine laughed and said, “Oh, I’m glad I was the lab rat for you.”

“No, you weren’t a lab rat, Cate, honestly,” Ann smiled at her and waited for her cousin to return a grateful look. “You were my lab _ferret_.” She corrected.

Anne laughed out loud as Catherine scoffed and threw a Yorkshire pudding at her cousin.

“ _You’re_ a rat!” Catherine pouted animatedly and sat back in her chair, affronted but amused.

“Awww, you’re my little ferret, aren’t you, Squeaky?”

“Ann!” Catherine was really starting to lose it now. Ann had used the family’s nickname given to her because she tended to squeak when she either got really angry or was laughing very hard.

Ann lowered her voice and did her best Yorkshire accent, “C’moooonnnn Squeakyyyyy, gi’ us a squeak for ol’Annie.”

Catherine laughed harder and Anne was intrigued by the hold Ann seemed to have over her cousin at the moment.

As Catherine’s laughter grew, there was an anticipation of something going to happen, until finally Ann said, “Ey up! Stop faffin’ abou’ and gi’ us a squeak!”

Catherine couldn’t stop herself is she tried, and instead of where someone would normally snort when they laughed too hard, the usually put together woman squeaked and couldn’t stop for many seconds.

Anne laughed at the noise and looked at Ann who looked very pleased with herself.

Catherine finally was able to get herself under control and said, “Oh, you devil, I can’t believe you made me do that! In front of company! In front of Anne Lister!”

Ann speared a carrot and popped it into her mouth, triumphantly. Smiling at Anne and giving her a wink.

Anne looked back at her with a very impressed look on her face, which turned to sudden shock as she felt a foot caress her shin. She jerked slightly and was grateful that Catherine was still trying to compose herself and hadn’t been looking at her. Anne looked back across at the younger woman questioningly, who was still chewing her carrot and smiled, putting up a challenging eyebrow. The desire that ran through Anne was like a flame coursing through a puddle of alcohol. She broke the eye contact with Ann and looked down at her plate, suddenly lamenting the loss of the retreating foot.

‘God damn you,’ she silently opened her dialogue with God. ‘I prayed to you and you didn’t listen. Well then, I take no responsibility for my actions.’

She looked back defiantly at Ann and silently accepted her challenge. ‘Two can play at that game, Miss Walker.’ She thought to herself. ‘The game is afoot. _Literally_.’ Her smirk deepening as Ann narrowed her eyes at her, her own lips in a suggestive smirk.

‘Oh, you saucy little minx,’ Anne continued her inner dialogue, as she pursed her lips and picked up her wine glass, saluting Ann discreetly. ‘This is going to be fun.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #ChefWalker #Turnips 😉


	7. Are You Sure?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lunch progresses and the game is indeed on. Will Catherine survive the heat coming off the two Ann(e)s? 🔥🚒

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Production notes: Had to update the rating because the ladies can't keep their hands to themselves. 🤝🏼😲 Also, I'm aware that Delia Rawson was actually not the youngest of Stansfeld and Elizabeth Rawson's brood, but for my purposes, she is.
> 
> We gained an hour last night in the States and did that make me more productive? Yes! You'll see what I mean. 😉 Yesterday also was Halloween, so this might be a little late but...Happy Halloween!!! 🎃🎃🎃🎃🥳 Though around here it was a bit of a ghost town. 👻 I hope you enjoy the update!
> 
> Update 11/2 (GJ2 day!): Totally fangirly (which I swear I don't normally do!) of me, but I just had to add this and mention that the ladies (and guys yes, yes) are back at Shiben today, about to start filming! I saw Gemma Whelan's picture with her Marian hair on Instagram just now and almost fainted. I might be a little obsessed! 😉 Please, let's all wish them a happy and safe shoot!💕💖 Oh, and if Suranne and Sophie also post selfies with them as their characters, there will be no more updates as I will be *ded*. 😲😜💞

As the lunch progressed agreeably, with no further incidents of mischief from Ann. Anne had been surreptitiously watching her from across the table, trying to figure out how she’d get her back for the foot folly she had played with her shin. She could tell that the younger woman, knew when Anne was looking at her and would change her face into a discreet but triumphant look when she wasn’t actively talking to Catherine or eating and it was only serving to further madden Anne to no end.

“Are you ready for a Manhattan now, Anne?” Catherine asked, showing her the decanter that she had with the freshly made cocktail. 

Anne at first was a little annoyed to be brought out of her thoughts, but then one occurred to her and she asked, “Are there cherries?”

“Oh, yes, I get the good ones from Italy,” she said, opening the small, chilled container of recently handmade garnishes and showed them to Anne who gave a hum of approval. Catherine smiled proudly, “I said I was obsessed with these lately and when I get into something, I do it right.”

Two plump Luxardo cherries were speared on each stainless-steel pick that had a small knob at the top, in the shape of a tiny delicate rosebud. The cherries themselves were dark and delicious looking and Anne nodded her head, saying, “I’d love one.”

Catherine picked up a pre-chilled coupe glass and poured the dark, amber-colored cocktail into it, she popped in the cherry garnish and handed it to Anne.

“Thank you,” she said, then twirled the glass slightly in her fingers to see the workmanship, “These glasses are exquisite.” They were truly stunning; they were cut crystal with intricate patterned cuttings on the stems, at the base and in the middle and a delicate floral pattern etched around the bowl.

“Annie gave them to me, as a house-warming present, she gave me the garnish picks, too. She has excellent taste and an eye for detail, does our Ann.” Catherine said, and smiled proudly at her cousin.

Anne looked at Ann and was momentarily derailed by the timid, yet equally proud look on her face, it almost succeeded in undoing her completely again, but she shook off that reaction and pressed on.

She held up the drink to Ann and gave another small salute, “ _Excellent_ taste, Ms. Walker,” she said, and watched as the compliment only deepened the smile she had on her lips, clearly thrilled that Anne approved of her taste in stemware. Anne continued, “I’m realising that your taste is exemplary, your discernment unimpeachable, and your humour unmatched.”

“Ooh, someone bought a dictionary.” Catherine teased. 

Anne looked over and smirked at her, shaking her head slightly in scolding then continued, “Now, then ladies, with the praise for the stemware complete, I shall see what words of praise I can find in my dictionary for its contents.” She said, smiling at Catherine who waved her hand at her embarrassed.

Anne lifted the glass to her lips, careful not to poke herself with the pick that held the cherries and hummed as the liquid hit her tastebuds. The drink was indeed good, but the appreciative noises she was making about the taste of it were purposely exaggerated.

“Does that mean you like it?” Catherine asked.

Anne moaned pleasurably, low in her throat, all for the benefit of the woman across from her. “Oh, yes, it’s delectable, Catherine. You’ve really outdone yourself here. That’s rye is it not?” she asked, peeking quickly to see the look on Ann’s face, which was suddenly frozen.

“It is. Something called Old Overholt. Reminded me of Gledholt so I bought it, but it turns out it’s one of the best rye whiskeys for a Manhattan.”

“Well done,” Anne said, and Catherine smiled and nodded and went back to eating her meal. “Now, for the cherries…”

Catherine’s phone dinged with a text notification and she looked over at the side table she had put it on. “Oh, I forgot to turn that to silent,” she said, as she got up to go do just that, “Sorry, ladies.”

Anne was grateful for Catherine’s distraction, it meant she could pull off the next part of her revenge. She winked saucily at Ann, silently daring her to keep watching her as she lifted the cherries from the glass. She put the pick sideways up to her lips and let her tongue round each cherry from the bottom to the top, catching the alcohol that was dripping from them. She then made the tip of her tongue peek slightly through the two round, plump fruits, making it appear as though the cherries were tightly held together, finally she pushed her glistening tongue through them and massaged in between them for a few strokes, letting out a short appreciative moan from their taste.

Catherine came back to the table annoyed and said, “That Delia! She’s not even here and she’s-” she stopped mid-sentence when she saw the look on her cousin’s face. “Ann?” She asked quietly, noting that her cousin did not register the sound. Her lids were hooded, her lips parted slightly and it was clear to anyone who had ever seen a look of arousal before that she was clearly in something’s thrall.

Catherine sat down and looked over at Anne Lister who had broken her gaze with Ann and was innocently (as much as she could possibly do anything innocently) slipping one of the cherries off of the pick with her teeth and into her mouth. There was a look of triumphant gratification on the older woman’s face and she could tell that something had just happened between them while she was reading Delia’s text.

Anne gave another pleasing moan at the taste of the cherry as she chewed and then poked it into the side of her mouth to speak, “Oh, you _were_ right, Catherine, these _are_ good. They’re so plump, and juicy. Mmmm, the tart yet sweet juice just slides deliciously down the throat.”

Catherine wanted to laugh out loud, but she just smiled at her; in fact, what she really wanted to do was get up and kiss the woman on the cheek as a thank you. She was very happy that these two women, clearly had progressed from the ‘teen awkwardness stage’, to the ‘adult tease-flirting’ stage. Looking pleased at the complement she said, “As I said, I _only_ get the best.”

It’s true, she _was_ pleased at the complement, but she was mostly pleased at the fact that this elaborate plan for her cousin, to ultimately be with the one she loved for so long, was going according to plan. She picked up her own cocktail and sipped at it, chuffed with herself and discreetly did not pay attention to what were obviously the seduction techniques of a master. Well, not paying _much_ attention, because she had hoped to maybe glean some tips from Anne for her own use with whomever she was dating in the future.

Sadly, she surmised that as much as she wanted to witness all of this, she still knew that her cousin wouldn’t have wanted it to get too far, too soon. She knew that she would have to start some form of innocuous conversation, so that Ann wouldn’t get lost too far into her arousal and spontaneously combust at the table. Rather than direct her conversation at her cousin, though, she chose to start it up with Anne, it seemed the more merciful choice at the moment.

“Can you believe the nerve of my sister, Ms. Lister…I mean _Anne_?”

“What’s Delia been up to now?” Anne asked, satisfied at her handiwork with Ann and happy to get back into some regular conversation, as she surmised correctly that the other woman was trying to still get ahold of her raging libido. All was fair in love and teasing, especially when it was in retaliation for when Ann’s foot had made brief, yet licentious, love to her shin.

“She’s not back in Yorkshire for even thirty minutes and she’s already cursing the day I was born. Does your sister do that to you?”

“Oh, yes, you should see some of the texts I get from Marian. You’d probably thank the heavens for saddling you with _your_ sister instead of mine.”

“Oh no, I’ve seen the way you and Marian interact, at least you’re pretty well civil to each other in public. She doesn’t care _who’s_ around,” Catherine looked like she just realized something, “I think she plays to the audience, come to think of it,” she sighed and said, “What is it about younger sisters, Anne? We’re only looking out for their wellbeing, I mean, who knows what she’d have turned out to be if I hadn’t been born and yet…”

Anne took a moment to look over at Ann while Catherine was going on about how Delia doesn’t appreciate what she’s done for her over her lifetime. The younger woman was clearly still in the throes of the ardor that the visuals of Anne and the cherries had stirred up in her. She was looking down at the plate in front of her, eyes flitting around from one item to another, not really seeing but looking for something, anything to help her get her feelings under control.

As Anne turned back to Catherine and was agreeing with her about how much good she has done for Delia over the years, she secretly slipped her now fully uncovered foot, across the divide of the table underneath and caressed Ann’s shin. There was a loud bang and the cutlery and dishes clanged, as the table shook, after Ann’s knee met with the underside of it. She shot up out of her chair and Catherine let out a shriek.

As the commotion of this sudden, almost explosion of sound and movement was happening, Anne reached down quickly and slipped on her sock and pulled her Chelsea-style black patent leather boot, quickly back onto her foot and stood up, feigning surprise.

“ _Ann_ , what the devil happened?!” Catherine asked, clutching her hand to her chest, clearly shocked at the uproar. “Don’t tell me it’s a mouse?!”

Anne lifted the tablecloth and bent her head down to look, “No, I don’t see anything, but I guess if it were, it’d be long gone by...” she stopped talking as she lifted her head back up and came face to face with the now clearly hot and bothered woman, whose eyes were boring a hole into her skull. The wild, unbidden desire on display in her steely blue-grey eyes was almost shocking to Anne and she gulped slightly.

Catherine looked under the table as well and then looked at her cousin, puzzled. “What did it feel like?”

“I can’t…uh, I don’t…it felt…” She said, not taking her eyes away from Anne, as she tried to answer her cousin. “It was…”

Anne’s eyebrow was lifted in curiosity, clearly amused at Ann’s struggle to explain why she jumped. This caused the younger woman to want nothing more than to jump over the table, pull Anne to her and kiss the sexy smirk, that had settled on her lips, right off of her face.

Just then Seamus popped up onto the chair Ann had vacated and Catherine laughed, “Oh, Ann! It must have been the cat, trying to get you to give him some of your food.” She got up and pulled the cat off the chair and snuggled him to her, burying her face in the side of his neck. “See?” She asked, waving his paw at her cousin.

“Oh, yes,” Anne said, “ _that_ explains it, _naughty_ Seamus O’Kitty,” she said, nodding amused and looked back at Ann, “Naughty kitties don’t really deserve any treats, do they, Ms. Walker?”

“I should say they don’t!” Catherine answered for her, “Especially this one, isn’t that right boy?” She put her nose right to the side of his face and snuggled.

Ann’s core clenched, as Anne licked her lips sensuously, leaving no misinterpretation behind as to what she meant by her words. Ann sat back down, suddenly feeling that she might faint.

Anne sat down as well, satisfied that she had won this round. She picked up her cocktail and took a good long sip, taking pity on her by going back to eating the delectable turnips on her plate and stifling the urge to moan while doing it. The moan wouldn’t even have been fake, because Ann Walker knew how to expertly season her turnips. 

“I’ll be right back,” Catherine said, “He must be hungry with all these delicious smells. I’ll bet Delia didn’t even feed him before she left.”

“I’m surprised she didn’t take him with her,” Anne said, turning her head towards the kitchen in order to be heard.

“Oh, well, they left in a rush and Delia didn’t bring his carrier back from Sophie’s residence hall at the Uni, so she decided to leave him. Besides, my grandmother’s cat hates him.”

“I think that cat hates anything or anyone that’s not your grandmother,” Anne chuckled, and sipped some of her wine. She looked over at Ann again and noticed that her hands were balled into fists. “Ann?” She inquired, concerned.

Ann looked up at her, clearly still bothered, “You shouldn’t have done that…” her voice was low and ominous.

“Oh?” Anne said, a little worriedly. “I didn’t think it would be a problem considering what you did to me. I’m sorry if I’ve overstepped the mark.”

“Shhhh,” Ann warned her, as Catherine was leaning her head to look out of the entryway, looking at her cousin questioningly. Ann looked back at her and shook her head. She waited for a moment to speak again, after Catherine had shrugged and went back to opening the packet of cat food for the now meowing Seamus. “I can be _very_ competitive you know.”

Anne smiled and quirked an eyebrow at her as she fingered the side of her wine glass. Her heart was starting to really hammer in her chest at the possibilities of what this particular challenge could bring to their day. She also knew that she really shouldn’t string along this thing between them, especially because of what she had promised herself, William and Marian about not wanting a relationship and also because she knew for certain that Ann didn’t want to just play games.

If she didn’t know before today, she knew it now because of her question about open relationships. She narrowed her eyes at Ann, all the while going over the pros and cons and while she did this, Ann defiantly cocked her head to one side and raised her eyebrow up in another challenge.

The gauntlet was thrown down, in fact, if that were literally what had just happened the boom would have been deafening and Anne knew that if she took it up, there would absolutely be no going back on it. But she was Anne Lister and when a challenge was made, especially one that wouldn’t kill her and definitely one that would bring her pleasure, she didn’t back down.

And there it was. On a chilly Saturday afternoon in May, in a London flat belonging to a descendent of John Rawson, she made what she thought was an easy enough decision. Now, with that done, there was just one thing to get out of the way. Leaning forward, she set her glass firmly on the table and asked simply, “Are you sure?”

Ann sat back a little and straightened her back, holding her head to one side and cut a regal pose, “Quite.” She said, haughtily.

Anne nodded, pleased with that answer and the manner in which it was said. She quirked her eyebrow back at her and said, “Well then, Ms. Walker. I hope you brought many changes of knickers this weekend, you’ll need them.”

Ann’s own heart started pounding again at what that could mean for her, but she managed to stay as calm as she could and chuckled, “That’s assuming I actually _wear_ them.” She gave a pious look, as she brought her water glass to her lips and drank.

Anne’s core twitched, like the traitor it was and though her face stayed neutral for the most part, she couldn’t hold back the reaction from her eyes. They had widened before she had a chance to realize it was happening and she picked up her wine glass shakily, holding it in quick salute, then sculling half of the contents in one go; hoping it would help calm her nerves.

Catherine came back into the dining room and sat down looking at them curiously.

“Did I miss anything?” She asked.

A list of naughty things popped into Anne’s head, like, ‘I just found out that the colour of your cousin’s favorite pair of knickers is pink, possibly mohair, but we’ll see about _that_ yet.’ But she bit her tongue and kept silent.

Ann picked up her knife and fork, with another triumphant smile on her lips and started to cut into her meat again. “We were talking about kittens and how much we love a challenge. Weren’t we, Ms. Lister?”

Catherine spoke up, “You were talking of how challenging raising kittens is?! Oh, you don’t have to tell me! Delia came home one time with about three of them when the Wilkinson’s cat, Katie, had a litter in their shed…”

Ann chatted happily along with Catherine, reminiscing about that time and it left Anne to think about what she could do to gain the upper hand again. She also thought about whether she should let something happen between them tonight, but she quickly decided she couldn’t do that, even if Ann were up for it. Catherine was here, Marian would be back at her flat and this was only their second time meeting for real. Even though she desperately wanted to, she wouldn’t be acting like a wolf during mating season, dragging Ann off to the room next to Catherine’s, to show her who was in charge. Though, she shouldn’t have thought of that just now, it was making her pulse quicken again.

No, she was sensible, she would do what any practiced hand would do. Especially one that was really good at the art of making someone really want you but drawing it out so deliciously that the waiting was even better than the actual getting. She’d employ the opposite tactic, which was to act cool, calm, collected and almost indifferent to Ann Walker’s charms. That would make the younger woman do one of two things: be putty in her hands or make her angry and if Anne had to tell the truth, ‘angry Ann’ was kind of hot. Besides, she wouldn’t stay angry for long. Quite the opposite, in fact.

After the lunch was finished and they had all helped clean up without any more mischief (they had declared a silent truce for the twenty minutes it took to get everything cleaned and stored) they retired to the lounge to reminisce. Catherine took a big book out from underneath the coffee table and handed it to Anne, as she sat down to the left of her, on the sofa. 

“What’s this?” Anne asked, impressed at the size of the book.

“You said you liked to study family history and lineage. Here one of many volumes, of the Rawson, Walker, Edwards and Priestley families and friends, complete with accompanying pictures. This particular one, has about three generations worth.”

Anne’s face lit up as she settled it more easily over her lap.

Ann sat next to her on her right side and watched as Anne rubbed her hands together in anticipation saying, “I’m going to get to see a baby Ann, aren’t I?”

“Oh yes, and a bonus, one that has no trousers on…”

Ann gasped and put her hand over the cover before Anne could open the book.

“What?” Anne asked, her face a mask of mirth.

Ann said, “Catherine _don’t_ …”

“Oh, Annie, you were five, not fifteen, it’s cute!”

“What is it?” Anne asked.

“It’s a picture of her out in our back garden, running around the table almost completely starkers. Mother managed to snap a picture before Father was able to catch her.”

“I will be leaving here with that picture tomorrow.” Ann said, her voice firm.

“You won’t.” Catherine’s voice was just as firm.

“I will and if I don’t, I’ll bring you up on charges.” She said, narrowing her eyes at her cousin.

Catherine furrowed her brow and then her eyes widened, “Do you think that’s really a charge? For old pictures of children…I mean there must be a hundred, of Delia _alone_ …she never could keep her clothes on when it was hot.”

Anne laughed, “I don’t think that’s a charge, Catherine,” she assured her, “Now, let’s see the ‘Little One’ and her scraped knees.”

“Oh, Annie, do you remember how we’d fall on the gravel path trying to keep up with Elizabeth?”

“Don’t remind me, I still have the scars.” She said, rubbing her hand over her knee, pointedly, with the barest hint of a challenging smile.

Anne chose to ignore that, almost, and let them pick which part of the album they wanted her to see first. They skipped ahead to the years of photos with Catherine and Ann in them.

“This one is completely and totally precious,” Ann said, pointing to a picture of a chubby faced Catherine, holding a tightly swaddled Delia who was sleeping. They each had matching bows on the top of their heads. The older Rawson must have been about five and Delia would have been only days old.

“I think that was the last time she was ever truly quiet.” Catherine said, with no hint of mirth in her voice.

Anne shook her head laughing, then asked, “Are you the oldest, Catherine?”

“Yes, there’s me, then Francis, Mary Ann, Emma and then the devil’s child.”

“How many years apart between you and Delia?” She asked.

“Six.”

“Good Lord,” Anne said, truly shocked. “Are you Catholic?”

Catherine laughed loudly and said, “You know we’re not, _Anne_!”

Anne chuckled and shrugged, “I mean, honestly, what was the rush?”

“I really don’t know; all Mother would ever say was that Father had a thirst.”

“I’ll say.” Ann said, with the barest hint of naughtiness in her voice.

It took all the strength Anne could muster to not flinch or react at all, as she felt a hand snake under the cover of the book and rest on top of her thigh. Catherine was pointing out other photos of her siblings and explaining the context behind some of the funnier ones and as Ann leaned over to chime in, reminding Catherine of a funny story about that day or what she was doing just off camera, it made her grip Anne’s thigh harder. Innocently pretending to be steadying herself but Anne knew better. She closed her eyes briefly and let the electricity of Ann’s touch course through her body. Neither of the younger women looked at her as this was happening, which was fortunate, because she probably would have been asked what was wrong and this time, she couldn’t be trusted _not_ to tell the truth.

The grip on her thigh relaxed a little and she opened her eyes again, reminding herself not to show that anything had happened, all the while reciting the words: ‘Cool, calm, collected’ over and over in her head, until she started to believe she was exactly that.

They had turned the page to where there were photos of them as teens. Anne could finally focus on the page and saw one particular photo that had a familiarity to it as if it were one of her own, but she knew she had never seen it before. ‘Oh my. What. Is. This?’ she thought. She realized she was looking at a picture with a teenaged Ann, dressed in black jeans and white button down, collared shirt, with a paisley grey waistcoat hanging open. The black skinny tie around her neck, was hanging loosely in front of her top collar button that was undone. Her hair was dyed black and pulled back into a low ponytail, with a pork pie hat on top of her head to complete the look. Her leg was up on a chair, showing off her black Doc Martens boots, and she had black Wayfarer sunglasses on. She was pretty damned sexy if she didn’t mind saying so. Standing next to her was Catherine dressed as a Zombie cheerleader with Ann’s arm casually draped over her cousin’s shoulder.

The other women were looking at different pictures in the book on the page opposite the one she was looking at and were completely unaware that Anne was looking at the picture of Ann Walker dressed as Anne Lister for Halloween. That was until Ann also spotted the picture and immediately slapped her hand over it.

Anne pretended not to notice and asked innocently, “One of you with no trousers on?”

“Uh, no…it’s ummmm…”

“Come on, Annie, what is it?” Catherine said, her voice full of playfulness, “Not the one where you and I tied Delia to a tree and pelted her with water balloons?”

Anne laughed, “Oh, and then you wonder why she devils you so much?”

Catherine was affronted, “Yes, as a matter of fact! We did that because she had drawn mustaches on all my Justin Timberlake posters, even on the female backup dancers.”

Anne laughed and nodded her head, “I can see that.”

Ann wasn’t listening to the conversation; she still had her hand firmly over the photo and was contemplating what she should do.

She said finally, “Maybe…m-maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.”

Catherine looked over at her, worried it was a picture that had Thomas Ainsworth in it and would cause Ann’s anxiety to skyrocket, possibly giving her a panic attack. But that couldn’t be, because she and Delia had gone over this book multiple times and made sure that there were none of those types of pictures, not even any that had his back turned to the camera.

“What is it, Ann?” Catherine asked, seriously starting to worry now.

Ann shook her head, clearly mortified, the redness on her cheeks started to creep down to her neck. Anne felt sorry for her and mercifully said, “Oh, was that the Halloween picture with you dressed as that guy…what’s his name? Dickie…”

“Dickie?” Catherine asked, puzzled.

“You know, with the girl from that movie, has red hair…80’s movie princess of teen angst, something about Pink or something.” Anne described, as she twirled her finger in the air.

“Ohhhh,” Catherine understood, “You mean _Duckie_ , from _Pretty in Pink_?”

“Yes, that’s it, the guy with the sunglasses and porkpie hat, he was a snazzy dresser and I always stole some of his looks myself, when I was younger and considered myself ‘hip’,” she continued, “And you were dressed as a zombie cheerleader.”

Catherine narrowed her eyes, still confused, she knew that Ann hadn’t ever dressed up as Duckie for Halloween, but then she suddenly remembered who she _did_ dress up as and wanted to laugh. She shot her eyes up to her cousin’s scared face and gave her a wink, and said, “Riiiiight, I remember that! Oh, Annie, do you remember when we had that one sleep over and saw that movie and I became obsessed and made you dress up as Duckie? It was awful, I was going to go as Andi, but Mother wouldn’t let me dye my hair red. It was no fair because Annie was able to dye hers black…only…we couldn’t get her hair into a pompadour, so she wore it back in a pony. Oh, that was a good time! She got _a lot_ of compliments!” She remembered silently that Ann especially got them from Catherine’s aunts, Emma and Ellen who made some off-color jokes that her cousin John, Ann’s brother, had to explain to her later.

Ann let her hand slide off the page and she smiled gratefully at Catherine for devising such a whopper of a tale that was also believable, so quickly. A large, happy smile graced her face and she could have leaned over and kissed her cousin.

Anne meanwhile, looked back at the picture and might have believed it, if Ann didn’t also have a pocket watch on a fob, tucked into one of her waistcoat pockets and a tattoo, etched onto her right inner arm with a permanent marker that said, ‘I love and only love the fairer sex.’ She noted that the code was almost exactly right, except for one symbol, but it was a perfectly good likeness to the real tattoo she had on her own right arm, that was currently covered by her shirt. Anne smiled, impressed. She wished she could talk about it with, Ann and not have to pretend that it wasn’t an homage to her.

It made her feel a pang of something akin to sadness and empathy. Sadness that she never knew Ann harboured this love for her for so many years and empathy for the fact that they both loved people for whom their love was largely unrequited. For Ann Walker, her love was unrequited because her beloved didn’t know about it. For Anne Lister, hers was unrequited because her beloved rejected it, unless it suited her own purpose. Anne felt a tightness in her throat and she cleared it, effectively stopping the feeling from turning into tears. She didn’t want these two women thinking she was losing her mind.

She asked, “What movie were you referencing there with your costume Catherine?”

“That was from this really low budget movie Ann’s brother used to watch over and over.”

Ann thought, “Oh no, that’s right! I remember,” she said, and shook her head. “Something about a cheerleader camp and someone gets bitten by a squirrel and they start turning into zombies. Oh my god, that was _awful_!”

“Rabid squirrels turning people into zombies?” Anne asked, shaking her head at the absurdity of some of these movies that teens enjoyed. “Squirrels really don’t come too near people even when they’re rabid, they tend to-”

“ _Anne_ are you really going to give us a lesson on squirrel behavior now?” Catherine asked, with a chuckle.

Anne laughed, it was something Marian would have said and she was grateful that Catherine had stopped her. She didn’t want to come off like a know-all right now, she was supposed to be making her cousin utterly come undone.

As they looked through more of the photo album, she could tell Ann was getting more and more relaxed and genuinely having a good time, she was pointing out to her some of the places and people in the snapshots that were taken, with her hand still on Anne’s thigh in a possessive manner. The hum of excitement was still there, but it had morphed into something comforting as well. She went back to concentrating on the pictures she was being shown.

Curiously, to Anne, there were no photos of Ann’s father in any of the ones they had seen, she thought maybe they had skipped over the section where he would mainly be in the photos, but there were several of her mother and deducing the age that Ann was in the photos, and the fact that both her parents died within months of each other, he should have at least been in one of them. She pushed that thought to one side for the moment, as she was thoroughly enjoying Ann’s descriptions of some of the people in the photos. She noted Ann’s talent for mimicry and it had both herself and Catherine in stitches a few times as she did their voices. As she did one in particular, she used her hands animatedly to illustrate what she meant about the person and Anne was a little disappointed that her hand was gone from her thigh and that she didn’t put it back when she was done.

After a while, Catherine asked if anyone wanted coffee, and they both agreed that it would be lovely. She instructed them to carry on while she went to go make it, but not to move off of any really funny or interesting pictures until she got back. After turning the page, there was one that Ann found and remarked that Catherine wouldn’t want to miss, so they sat looking at the other pictures around it on the page.

Anne suddenly sat bolt upright as she felt a cool hand sneak behind her back and settle itself just above her posterior. Catherine popped out of the kitchen, asking if they were ready for pastries as well and Ann spoke up and said yes. Anne was sitting next to her dumbly, her mind only thinking about the hand on her back as Ann sat with a smile on her face, like she was the cat that got the cream.

Not wanting to be outdone Anne came to her senses and sat back into the sofa, effectively trapping Ann’s hand where it was. She then looked at the side of Ann’s face and smiled, hoping she was at least, making her feel a _little_ uncomfortable, but it was she who still seemed to be the most bothered. It didn’t matter that it was in a good way, Anne didn’t like to lose a challenge, and this felt like she was losing.

“Your hand is cold.” Anne said, her voice cool and matter of fact.

“It’s warming up, thanks to you. Do you have a built-in heater in there?” She poked Anne’s side and make her squirm a little, but she kept her calm composure.

“Something of that nature, yes.” Her voice barely showing any change in timber, except being slightly higher, as Ann was pressing her fingers into the cloth covered flesh, and massaging it, as much as she could, with Anne still effectively trapping her hand.

Ann hummed in contentment as she heard a small sigh escape from the older woman.

Turning her head to the side, Anne looked at the side of the blonde woman’s face more closely, she could see a mole just on the underside of her jaw. It was making her stomach feel a deliciousness she hadn’t felt in a very long time.

“You have a mole…” She said, in a whisper.

Ann turned her head to look at Anne in the eyes. “Yes…” She nodded once.

“I find them to be extremely sexy,” she said and reached out with her hand almost touching it, but stopped before slightly retracting it, “May I?”

Ann smiled and her top teeth caught her bottom lip for a moment, deciding. “Yes…” She said, finally and shivered inwardly, anticipating Anne’s touch.

As Anne ran the back of her hand over the side of Ann’s face, the younger woman closed her eyes. It was all she had ever wanted in life, to be close to Anne Lister like this. Her heart felt full to bursting just from her warm hand softly caressing her face then trailing down to the mole under her jaw and rubbing it slightly with the pad of her thumb.

Anne leaned in to whisper in her ear, “I would _love_ nothing more, than to lean down and kiss that spot.”

Ann’s heart exploded in her chest, the warmth that emanated from the blast coursed through her veins and made all the hair on her arms and the back of her neck stand up. The bundle of nerves at the center of her womanhood throbbed in excitement and an unbidden moan escaped her throat. Her eyelids slid closed.

Just then, Catherine came sweeping into the lounge, saying very cheerfully, “I hope you ladies are ready for more deliciousness!”

They both jerked away from each other like they had been burned, in fact, both women wouldn’t have been surprised if they had seen scorch marks where each other’s hands had been.

Catherine caught the movement but wasn’t exactly sure what had happened. Ann had taken her hand out from behind Anne’s back and was rubbing it on her other hand, unconsciously trying to transfer the warmth, that the older woman’s body infused it with, to the colder one.

“I’ll turn up the fireplace, Annie. Looks like you’re getting cold.”

“I’ll, um, I’ll go get my shawl,” Ann said, getting up from the sofa. “Be right back.”

“How do you take your coffee, Anne?” Catherine asked.

Anne blinked a few times to get the feelings that were still coursing through her body to stop so she could coherently form a thought. She chuckled as she thought to say, ‘Hot and sweet, like your cousin.’ but she covered her amusement by saying, “If I said, black would you be surprised?”

“Not in the least,” Catherine said, laughingly as she poured her a cup.

“Though my doctor told me I should put cream in it, to stop it from burning a hole in the lining of my stomach, so I do now.”

Catherine nodded and added cream to it before handing it to Anne on a saucer with a spoon next to the cup. “Is that light enough?”

“That’s perfect, thank you, Catherine.”

“You’re welcome,” she said, then asked, “Are you having a good time?”

Anne looked up from stirring her coffee, she was a little taken aback by the question, but she smiled, nodding at her. It was good to see someone so invested in their cousin’s wellbeing.

“I’m having a delightful time.”

“Oh good…I was…” Catherine hesitated to say the next part but knew she only had a few moments before Ann would be back in the room, “… _worried_.”

“Because?”

“Well, I’m sure you’ve already figured out that…I mean why we invited…”

Anne chuckled and nodded, “Yes.”

“I just want to say that, whatever happens, just know that we didn’t do it because you’re famous or that Ann could possibly work for you.”

Anne chuckled, “Honestly, I don’t think that. And I’m _hardly_ famous, Catherine.”

“Well, you know what I mean.”

“I understand and don’t worry, I thank you for inviting me, both last night and today. It’s been wonderful getting to know you _both_ better.”

“Thank you, that’s _so_ nice to hear,” Catherine smiled, demurely. “And I _do_ want to set up a Yorkshire women’s reading club, you know, that wasn’t just a lie.”

Anne nodded, “It would be a wonderful thing. I’ll make sure to give you my number so you can let me know when you’re meeting.”

“Oh, would you? That would be lovely!”

“Of course,” Anne said, and took her phone out of her pocket. “Here, put in your number.”

Catherine took the phone from her and typed her number in. She was surprised when a text came in and unfortunately, before she could stop herself, she read it. It said, ‘ _Freddy, I’ve been practically gagging for it, stop being a nun and come over tonight, Chas. in Ches. Xoxo M-_ ’

Anne was puzzled by the way Catherine’s face had fallen as she was saving her contact information. She watched as she changed her face back to neutral and handed her phone back to her.

“A text came in for you.” She said, with no real emotion.

Anne opened her phone and read it. “Oh,” she said, knowing she shouldn’t be feeling like she was doing anything wrong, but couldn’t help it. “It isn’t…we’re not…I’m not going to-”

Just then Ann came back into the room, “I brought my shawl and I wanted to let you know that I found my travel backgammon, but I won’t ask anyone to play today. Wouldn’t want to embarrass either of you in front of the other with my mad skills.”

Catherine laughed, “That’s good, Annie. Sit down and have some coffee and cakes, dear,” she said, trying not to feel disappointed but not being able to help it, “I don’t think Anne knows you’re the backgammon champion of Yorkshire. Actually, in possibly the whole world.” She said, injecting more cheer into her voice, ‘Hang it all,’ she thought, ‘Anne said that it wasn’t like that anymore between them and I’ve heard all the stories of how that woman treated her throughout the years, so I’ll not judge her on a text.’ She quickly decided to let what she saw on Anne’s phone drop.

After the coffee and the pastries were consumed and the pictures of the girls and their families were well and truly gone over, the three of them realized the time and were making plans for how the trip back to Halifax would work for the two Ann(e)s, before Anne Lister left for the night.

Since the incident on the sofa where Ann was pretty sure she was about a minute away from having an orgasm without Anne touching her, they hadn’t tried to touch each other anymore, both knowing how dangerous it was to do in front of people.

As they stood in the foyer of the flat, Catherine said goodbye to Anne and showed them her phone. “Delia’s been texting me every second minute of every hour, I better go deal with her. I’ll see you tomorrow at the station, Anne, when I drop off Annie.”

“Yes, and thank you so much, Catherine, for _everything_ ,” she said, shaking her hand warmly and added sincerely, “Today was wonderful, truly one of the best days I’ve had in a good long while.”

“You’re quite welcome, I’m delighted you were able to come and please, don’t make yourself a stranger. I mean it. I know you’re busy and everything, but please don’t hesitate to call or drop by whenever you like.”

Anne nodded at her gratefully and they embraced in a friendly hug and then Catherine was off to her bedroom to call Delia back. She gave her cousin an arm squeeze and an encouraging smile before she left them by themselves.

After they heard Catherine’s door close, there was an awkward tension for about thirty seconds, until Ann was the first to break it, by pushing Anne up against the door of the flat, while simultaneously pulling the taller woman’s head down to crash their lips together.

For the first time in her life, or at least since the first girl she’d ever been with, Anne didn’t know what to do with her hands, she wanted to touch everything, get skin upon skin, try to get her impossibly close, melding their bodies into one. Their connection was electric and the heat they were generating as their mouths and hands were exploring each other would have been immeasurable. If they both had to guess, it certainly would have been able to heat a small country.

When they came up for air, it was only to get enough breath in their lungs to not pass out before diving back into each other. Ann fisted Anne’s shirt in her hands and started pulling it out of her slacks, as the taller woman reached down to pull up her dress. Neither was really thinking about where they were, in fact, they didn’t much care where they were at this point. Anne’s talk of holding back and thoughts of teasing her for days had flown out the window as soon as she felt Ann’s tongue slip past her lips and into her mouth, massaging her tongue back and forth, over her own.

Ann undid the top button of Anne’s slacks to get more room before slipping her hand in, and Anne’s shaky hands were already cupping Ann’s bum cheeks and she couldn’t help but smile. She pulled back slightly and looked at Ann, who was looking very puzzled as to why she had stopped kissing her.

Anne leaned in and whispered into her ear, “Such a little tease you are, Ms. Walker.”

“What?” Ann whispered back, trying to pull her back down to her for another kiss.

“I was led to believe you were pants averse,” She said, as she pulled the waistband of Ann’s underwear and held it out before letting it snap back. “I think that’s what the Roman’s used to call: _a lie_.”

Ann grimaced and groaned, before succeeding in pulling Anne’s mouth back down to hers, they let their tongues play against each other’s with abandon and Ann was sure if Anne touched her right now and rubbed for any length of time she would surely explode.

“Annie?!” Catherine called from her room.

Their bodies seized and Ann pulled her hand out of Anne’s slacks while the brunette woman was quickly letting her hands fall to her sides, smoothing Ann’s dress down for her. Their hearts were hammering in their chests and both of them had their eyes closed, willing Catherine not to come out of her room to see where they were.

“Y-Yes?” Ann said, as calmly as she could.

“Is Anne Lister still here?”

Ann started to speak but her voice faltered, so Anne cleared her throat and said, “Yes, yes I am.”

“Would both of you mind terribly if you took Seamus back to Halifax with you tomorrow?”

How either of them could process any information was a mystery but Ann looked into Anne’s eyes and asked, “W-would you mind…t-terribly?”

Anne shook her head; it was fine with her if all of the exhibits at the London Zoo wanted to come with them tomorrow, even the camels, just as long as she could still do this with Ann.

“N-no, sh-she…w-we don’t mind.”

“Oh, _good_. I’ll go out later and get the carrier from Sophie’s flat and have it here for you tomorrow. Thank you, ladies. Sorry to disturb.”

Anne finally found her voice again, “If you tell me where it is, I can stop on my way back to my flat.”

“Would you? Oh, that’s so sweet of you, Anne! I’ll text you the address and I’ll let her roommate know when to expect you. I’ll also text you her number.” Catherine said, still standing in the doorway of her room. She easily could have come out of it to give her the information or even just to look at them while she spoke, but she understood what might have been happening and didn’t want to have them be embarrassed. She also remembered what Ann had told her last night before she turned in to bed, ‘Don’t let me lose my head, Catherine, if things are meant to be, they can be so the right way. I don’t want my first time with her to be up against some door somewhere.’ ‘So much for that.’ Catherine thought with a chuckle.

“O-okay.” Anne said, looking into Ann’s eyes and then resting her forehead on hers.

“Delia says ‘thank you’!” Catherine said and then started to close her door, but not before saying, “What? They are not going to transport his cat tower on the train to Halifax! You’re ridiculous!”

“Sorry.” Ann said, feeling sad that they were interrupted.

Anne lifted her forehead off of Ann’s and looked into her eyes. “Don’t be, we were getting entirely too carried away.”

Ann nodded at her, knowing she was right, “I know, but… _Lord_ …”

Anne chuckled and kissed her forehead, “I know,” She said, sadly. She didn’t want it to end, it was so incredibly hot, she wanted it to keep going until they were both spent but she knew they had to take their time, this wasn’t the right way to do this. “We’ve got time, hmm?

Ann nodded her agreement and looked up at Anne and said, “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For coming here today, for putting up with my teasing and challenges, for going back with me tomorrow, for just…being… _you_ …”

Anne’s mouth wrenched into a sideways smile, “Aren’t you so sweet?” But her heart was really thumping hard in her chest, hearing those words from someone, who happened to be a potential lover, for the very first time.

They both moved in to kiss again and right away the charge they received from it was palpable, as the kiss went on for a few more moments, Anne suddenly pulled back, breaking it off abruptly and leaving them both breathless.

“I..um…” Ann said.

“Precisely,” Anne answered, “We’ll just have to stick to handshakes, at least so we don’t end up naked on the sofa with Catherine having to block her ears.”

Ann laughed out loud and stepped back, “Oh, that would make tonight and tomorrow morning very awkward.” She said, still laughing as she thought of Catherine’s mortified face.

“Alright, _Ms. Walker_ ,” Anne said, as she was re-tucking her shirt into her pants and sighing sadly, she said, “I must leave you now, but I will see you tomorrow at…what time?”

Ann let out her own sad sigh, “Well, our tickets are for three thirty, so I would say…six am?”

It was Anne’s turn to laugh out loud.

Ann laughed with her, wishing she wasn’t joking around, “No, but really, anytime you like, traffic should be light, so we probably don’t need to leave until two forty-five.”

“Sounds good, I’ll bring something for brunch at eleven thirty, so you ladies don’t have to worry about breakfast or anything like that and you can both sleep in.”

“Now who’s being sweet?” Ann asked, being sincere.

“Well, looks can be deceiving.” Anne said, rakishly, as she was putting on her coat.

“What?”

She leaned down slightly and whispered in Ann’s ear with her voice low and raspy, “Today was just the appetizers, tomorrow a palate cleanser and when we get back to Halifax, if you’re ready, I’m going to feast on the main course.” She said, licking the shell of Ann’s ear and then slinging her bag over her shoulder before pulling the door open, winking and blowing a kiss to her as she made her way out of the flat. She left poor Ann to stare at the door for at least two minutes after it had closed.

With almost anyone else, Anne would have strutted out of their flat oozing confidence and swagger, knowing she had just destroyed the last dry spot on the woman’s knickers. But as it was, she was walking a little unsteady herself and had to hold onto the railing in the lift to make sure she didn’t fall over.

‘Ann Walker may be the death of me, after all.’ She thought with a disbelieving smile, as the lift traveled down to the ground floor. Her phone pinged again and she smiled as she expected to see a text from Ann, possibly with a naked picture of herself. Hopefully.

As it was, the text that she read made her stomach sink:

_“Did you get my last text, Fred? I’m dripping for you. Hurry up! M-.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone reading and leaving feedback and kudos! Now, you don't really need me to tell you you're awesome, because you know it already, but really, YOU'RE AWESOME!!!! 💗❤🧡💖💞💕💟😍😘
> 
> Also, I shudder to talk about politics in this community too much, because I don't want it sullied, but if things go wrong and sanity doesn't prevail in the US election on Tuesday, I might not be posting on Wednesday, just sayin'. I might be one sad, sad LadyWoman. To my American friends: please be safe while voting, go early and with a plan, stay alert and vigilant! And to my British (and rest of the world friends): As your countries go back into lockdown, please stay safe and take care of yourselves and others by wearing a mask, washing your hands and singing "Thank You Baked Potato" 🥔😜. Also, check on your more vulnerable neighbors, family and friends. We'll all get through this together! 💖💟💞 One love. ✌🏼


	8. Aren't You Delighted To See Me So Well, Aunt?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the lunch over, we go through with them to their respective conversations with various family. ¯\\(°_o)/¯ Just read it.😉

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Say, I've been balled up in a corner of my closet for the last day or so, anything happening in the world I should know about? No? Cool. Cool, cool, cool, cool... 😒 COOL!!!!!!!!!!

Ann was brought out of her thoughts by Seamus, who was currently walking in between her legs, sliding his body alongside of her shins and calves. She realized she had been rooted to the spot she was standing in since Anne left, which was a few minutes ago.

Just standing there, frozen, staring at the door that the older woman had left through. Her heart was beating strongly, as if she had just run a marathon, except she hadn’t, unless you consider being suctioned to Anne Lister’s face for five minutes, a marathon. She took stock of what had just happened, totally losing all sense of decorum and good manners by pushing Anne up against the back of the door and kissing her until they couldn’t breathe anymore. She also thought of how she would have looked to someone standing outside the door right now, if the door had been a window. Hers was a look that said she was ready for more. Soon.

As she stood there, she could see her face in her mind’s eye and knew that she had gone from a look of desire to one of curiosity, then a hope filled wistfulness. Her stomach ached with a delicious feeling that she knew only Anne Lister had ever made her feel. Inhaling deeply, she noted that the older woman’s scent still permeated the air around her, it smelled of cinnamon and musk, with hints of rose and sandalwood, it was a heady mix and one that she thought she could happily drown in. She reached up with a shaky hand and ran her fingers over her lips that were still buzzing from their bruising kisses. They had only been at it for a few minutes, but she could feel they were slightly swollen, it made her smile. The door to Catherine’s room opening brought her out of her sensuous musings and she bent down to pick up Seamus who was immediately purring loudly from her scratches to his neck.

“Annie?” Catherine asked, quietly.

“Over here, Cate,” she said, coming out of the foyer and rounding towards where her cousin was standing in the corridor, “She’s just left.”

Catherine saw the look on her cousin’s face and her heart swelled. It was a joy that she hadn’t seen in a very long while, probably since the time that Anne Lister had stopped to talk to them and Ann had gotten her to show them her new tattoo.

“Looks like the goodbyes went well…” Catherine said, with a smirk.

Ann’s mouth dropped open in mock surprise, “Catherine! You’re not supposed to ask a lady to kiss and tell!”

“So, you _did_ kiss her then!” Catherine’s face was joyous, and she wiggled her eyebrows at her cousin, “You little sexpot you…how was it?!” She asked with a teasing grin and poked Ann in her side making her squirm.

“Don’t, Cate! I’ll drop Seamus…” She said, jumping back slightly.

“Oh, like that would hurt him! You’re just trying to distract me, so I forget to ask how well she kisses.”

Ann’s cheeks turned beet red and she couldn’t help the grin that spread on her lips. She pulled Seamus up to her, trying to hide her joyous face.

“That good, eh?”

Ann pulled her in suddenly for a one-armed hug and kissed the side of her cousin’s face.

Catherine was a little taken aback, “What was that for?” She asked with a puzzled smile.

“I don’t know, I’m just so happy and have so much love inside me right now, I can hardly contain it!” Ann said, excitedly.

Catherine’s heart melted for her cousin and she pulled her in closer, giving her a return kiss on the cheek. “Oh, Annie, in my wildest dreams I could never have thought this would have gone as well as it has for you! And so quickly!”

“I know!” Ann said, completely not believing it was real yet, “You might have to pinch me…Ow!”

“Sorry,” Catherine said, chuckling.

“I didn’t mean, _literally, Catherine_.”

“I was only trying to be helpful,” she said, innocently as she and Ann ended their embrace. She watched as her cousin felt the side of her still flushed face. “Are you okay?”

“You may have to be helpful by making sure I don’t fall over.”

Catherine held her around the waist, “Put the cat down, Ann,” she instructed, “Here, let’s get you into your room.” She said, after Ann had let Seamus down on the floor and helped her into the room she was staying in. “There we are, sit down right there. Do you need any water?”

Ann was slightly hunched over and trying to get a hold of her emotions, it was all too much for her right now. The reality was so much better than the fantasy and it all hit her in this moment. She couldn’t even fathom what was going to happen to her back in Halifax. The memory of Anne’s whispering those words, then licking her ear made the same feelings stir in her again. They swelled up and crashed into her like a speeding lorry, succeeding in knocking the wind from her lungs. She gasped.

“Are you having a panic attack, Ann?” Catherine asked, alarmed that her cousin was getting flashbacks of a certain someone who’s name she didn’t like to say out loud.

Ann shook her head and put her hand up, almost as if she was trying to steady herself with it mid-air.

“N-no…no…” she said, trying to relay what she _was_ feeling. “It’s…I can’t…it’s too…”

“Do you want to lie back? Maybe that will help…whatever you do, keep breathing, nice and slow, Annie.”

Ann nodded her head and then lay on her back, Catherine helped to get her legs up on the bed and then took her hand.

“What is it, darling? What are you feeling?”

“I don’t…I don’t know…”

“Well you just lie back and let Catey take care of you,” she said, soothingly, “Hmm? Just nice easy breaths now…you hear?” Unfortunately, they had been here many times before and Catherine was practiced in what to do to help.

Ann nodded again and tried to slow her breathing, listening to Catherine’s soothing words she closed her eyes and concentrated on bringing her breathing under control.

Catherine continued, “You’re all right…I’m here…hmm? Just calm even breaths…”

Ann put her arm over her forehead and took a deep even breath, letting it out slowly. After a couple of minutes, she finally felt like she had her breath under control. She lay there a few moments longer making sure whatever it was had passed and peeked out from under her arm at her cousin. The concern on Catherine’s face had her feeling sorry for her because, she knew she was probably thinking it was a panic attack over something bad, instead of something incredibly wanton. As a scene from a possible future love making session popped into her head, she couldn’t help it, she started to laugh.

It started out as a small chuckle, just air escaping through her nose, but then it started to grow stronger and try as she might, she could not keep her lips together and her mouth broke out into an opened mouthed grin. It was a curse, the more she tried to stop it, the harder it was to get control of herself and soon, she was in an all out fully belly laughed fit.

The concern on Catherine’s face only deepened and Ann tried to hide hers with her hands, she was too embarrassed to tell her what it was about and it was making her positively roar at the absurdity of it all.

“Annie?” Catherine asked, the concerned look starting to fade away into a half smile, “What is it?”

Ann tried to say something and couldn’t, she waved her hands in front of her, literal tears were starting to come out of her eyes.

“What?” Her cousin asked, chuckling at the picture of Ann trying to get herself together and failing. “Was it something Anne said?”

Ann shook her head, putting her hands up to her eyes and letting the laughter that she was trying to stop, freely leave her body.

“Was it something she did?”

Ann laughed harder and nodded, rolling over on her side thinking maybe it would help her get herself under control.

Catherine got up on the bed and put her hand on Ann’s shoulder, rolling her slightly back towards her to look at her face. “She didn’t…play some kind of a trick on me, did she?”

Ann looked at Catherine, semi puzzled, it helped to get her laughs down to a manageable level so she could finally speak, “No…no…nothing like that, it’s just…”

“What?”

“I…she…wait, hang on,” Ann said, sitting up and scooting back to the headboard, she shook her head and let out a decisive, cleansing breath, putting her hands up as if to fend off any more of the laughs that had just wracked her body. “Oh, Lord…” She said, as a final chuckle came out like a hiccup.

“Got it?”

“Yes, I think I’m done.” She said, not entirely sure, the feeling like a laugh might escape at any moment was still strong in her.

“So, what happened, why the panic attack?”

Ann turned her head slightly, looking Catherine fully in the eyes and furrowed her brow, her lips were slightly turned down.

“Oh my god, don’t tell me you’re going to start crying now.”

Ann chuckled, “No, no, I’m not. I promise. It’s just that…”

“What?” Catherine’s suspense threshold was at its breaking point. “C’mon Ann, you’re killing me here, what is it?! What can possibly be embarrassing between us anymore?”

Ann realized that was probably one of the truest statements ever uttered by anyone in the world. They had gone though so many things, many more than what she and her sister had even gone through together and her lips settled into a grateful smirk.

“I forgot what I was going to say…”

“ _Ann Walker_!” Catherine yelled, “I swear I will shave your head and send you back to Halifax bald, now out with it!”

Ann’s face was chuffed, there was just something about deviling Catherine that was so satisfying and even though she was nowhere near as bad as Delia, she understood what made her younger cousin do it.

“Okay, so…it’s so _silly_ …”

“ _Ann_ …” Catherine said her name like a warning.

“I’m trying!” She assured her, “Okay, so, I got this vision, of Anne…in my bed…”

Catherine’s eyebrows raised, but she kept the rest of her face neutral, lest any other look stopped her cousin from sharing the visual. “Yes?” She asked, coaxingly.

“And she’s…” She pointed her finger down towards her lower body, “You know…oh god…”

Catherine took her hand in hers and patted it, “You’re doing fine, you can get it out…we’re adults, are we not? It’s just sex.”

Ann’s eyes widened and she wanted to yell, ‘Sex with _Anne Lister_ , Catherine!’ Instead, she nodded, cleared her throat and said, “And I just…I just explode apart into…like a billion pieces…when I…”

Catherine interjected quickly, “Do _not_ finish that sentence…”

Ann laughed and then continued trying to explain, “And Anne is just there, face down on the bed, head hanging in mid-air…with this dust floating all around her going, ‘Ann? Ann? What’s happened? Where d’you go?”

Catherine laughed uproariously, “Oh God! How _does_ your mind work?” she asked, still amazed at the visual her cousin created.

Ann laughed with her and then suddenly looked a little worried, “It’s not entirely a joke though…earlier when we were looking at the photos-”

“Oh no, don’t tell me…did she… _touch_ you…whilst we were?”

“No, nothing like that! No, but…” Ann bit her bottom lip and furrowed her brow again.

“Annie, come on, it’s just me…” Catherine put her hand on Ann’s forearm to give her some courage.

“It’s just that…she didn’t even have to touch me and already it was feeling like she _was_.”

Just then, Catherine remembered what happened when they were at the table and Ann shot up out of her chair like she’d been electrocuted, “What happened during the lunch? Was it really Seamus…or…”

Ann shook her head and bent it down, embarrassed, “It wasn’t,” she said, sheepishly, “…Anne got revenge on me.”

“How? Why?”

“When you were trying to compose yourself after I got you to squeak…”

Catherine narrowed her eyes at Ann and pointed at her, “I still owe you one for that, _by the way_ ,” she said, folding her arms in front of her, slightly perturbed, “…continue.”

“Well, I might have… _caressed_ her shin…with my foot.”

Catherine gasped, “You utter _harlot_!”

Ann laughed, “I know, it was so brazen of me, but we had sort of silently challenged each other, and you _know_ how I can’t back down from a challenge.”

“Don’t I ever?” Catherine nodded, knowingly. “So _that’s_ why she was looking like something walked over her grave, I didn’t bring any attention to it, but I did wonder…so then, what happened to you?”

“Well, she got me back, right good and proper. Had her sock and boot off waiting for the right moment and boy did she ever strike. Like a sexy viper, destroyed me with a quickness.”

“Oh God, the bang that sounded from that, I’m surprised your kneecap isn’t broken!”

Ann pulled the hem of her dress over her left knee and smirked at the fact that there was a welt on it, “That’s going to leave a mark.” She said, her voice sounding unsurprised.

Catherine chuckled, “She’s managed to mark you already,” she said, with an impressed look. Still curious about what happened between them and when it happened, she brought the conversation back around to when they were on the sofa together. “So, she really didn’t try to… _touch_ you or anything? During the photo album session?”

“No, not at all, in fact…” Ann said, blushing and averting her eyes.

“Oh, Annie, you didn’t!”

“It was only a hand on her thigh, Catherine! And then…one on her lower back, dangerously near her backside. But that was it!”

“You are such a naughty thing!”

“Me? You’re one to talk!”

“No, don’t you put me through a reminiscence of my own folly, I won’t stand for it! Besides, we’ve gone over that so much it has tread marks.”

They laughed at that and then Catherine’s face got serious again, “Why did you have the attack…just before the laugh attack, it wasn’t about…” She hesitated to say ‘him’ and Ann knew what she meant straight away.

“No! It wasn’t, it was because of the exploding thing. It’s what I was trying to tell you earlier, I did all the touching on the sofa and I practically… _you know_ …” Ann shook her head to the side trying to convey what she meant, “…just from that.”

It was Catherine’s turn to not be able to control her laughter. “Oh, Annie!”

“What?!” Ann asked, knowing what it was about but still trying to play innocent.

“Oh…oh…you _are_ going to explode into a billion pieces, aren’t you? Like a teen boy!”

Ann put her hands on the top of her head, defeated. “ _What_ am I going to do?!”

Catherine laughed for a few more moments and stopped as an idea suddenly struck her, “Think of my granny.”

“What?”

“When you feel like you’re going to get too hot and bothered…just think of granny.”

“Nelly?”

“Yes…”

“Oh my God, Cate! Is that what you do?”

“Hey, don’t knock it, it works!”

Ann shook her head, trying to get any thoughts of Catherine’s grandmother out of it. She closed her eyes and thought of Anne’s kiss. She started to breath hard, “Oops, that was a mistake.”

“What happened?”

“I thought of Anne instead.”

Catherine shook her head and felt real pity for her cousin, “Well, at least if you do explode into a billion pieces, that will be the _happiest_ pile of dust ever known to man.”

Ann laughed.

“So, now, let’s work out what you’re going to wear tomorrow, obviously something with easy access, but it’ll also have to have absorbing properties…”

“Catherine!” Ann shouted, laughing again and shoving her cousin’s shoulder.

“No, _really_ ,” Catherine said, leaning in as they spent the next few minutes working out what they needed to do for Ann’s trip back to Halifax tomorrow.

*****

Anne had just picked up Seamus’ cat carrier and hailed a cab. She was used to walking but since leaving Catherine’s flat, she felt unusually unstable in the legs department and she figured she shouldn’t chance breaking a bone by falling. As she slid into the back seat she heard her phone ping again with another text, she rolled her eyes as she reached into her coat pocket to read what was surely another salacious text from Mariana trying to get her to go over to her flat to have sex.

She opened her phone and was surprised at who it was from.

_“Marian tells me you’re coming back tomorrow. Was it supposed to be a surprise or did you just forget your old and dear Auntie existed? Do please give an old lady a thrill and ring once in a while.”_

Anne sighed, half guilty and half pleased. The fact was that she did forget to call her Aunt, with everything going on with her book and now this with Ann, she had completely forgotten to call her, which she usually did every Saturday morning without fail. Taking a deep breath, she pulled up the thread with Mariana’s texts in it and typed:

_“Sorry this is late, was visiting with old friends, had to run an errand and can’t stop. *Must* get home to pack and write. Meeting friends for brunch tomorrow and then off to Shibden in the afternoon.”_ She hesitated before typing the next line, in the end deciding to do it just to be a jerk. _“Keep it moist for me.”_

She smiled as the reply immediately came up on the screen. _“Bastard”_ Was all it said and she was pleased that last line got the reaction she had intended. Next, she texted her Aunt back, _“Dear Aunt, how could one ever forget the first woman ever to cradle one in her arms?! I’ll ring as soon as I’m back in the flat, give me ten minutes, fifteen tops and all will be explained. Ever faithfully and fondly, your dear *favourite* niece, Anne Lister”_

She smiled as both ‘thumbs up’ and ‘LOL’ emojis appeared on the answer to her Aunt. She’d never get over the fact that her Aunt had taken to texting on a mobile phone like a pro, even though she rarely did it.

After getting out of the taxi, paying the driver and carefully extracting Seamus’ carrier out of the backseat, she headed into her building. She took the stairs to her landing two at a time and opened the door, letting it swing before realizing that was a bad idea. It banged against the wall and Marian who was in the kitchen making some tea let out a cry of surprise.

“If that’s a burglar you can wait for my sister to come home, she’s got more money than I do!”

“Good evening, dear sister!” Anne called out, animatedly and shrugging out of her coat, by transferring the cat carrier between hands and then hanging the garment up.

Marian came partly around the wall separating them from seeing each other and looked at her curiously.

“I take it the lunch went well then?”

“It went more than well,” She smiled and pointed to her, “Thank you very much.”

“What’s that? They gave you the cat as a to go present?” She smirked, then her face took on a shocked expression, “Wait, don’t tell me you’re finally giving in to the stereo-type, you’ve adopted a pet together and there is a moving lorry outside with all of Ann Walker’s belongings!”

“You’re ridiculous,” Anne said, trying to hide her mirth at Marian’s joke, “No, this is Delia Rawson’s cat’s carrier.”

“Oh, Seamus O’Kitty?! Is he here?” She went over and bent down to see.

“No, unfortunately, he’s back at Catherine’s, but Delia would like Ann and I to bring him back there with us tomorrow.”

“But why did you bring his carrier _here_ then?”

Anne sighed, “Always have to know every detail, don’t you, Marian?”

Marian smirked, “It’s my reason for existing, Anne, didn’t you know that?” She said, putting her hand over her heart dramatically. “I hang upon every detail of your life, no matter how minute.”

Anne had to laugh at that, Marian really could talk bollocks like a champ. She lifted the carrier and said, “Well, in that case then, here’s some sustenance for you, as you know, Delia and her girlfriend went back to Halifax with Lydia Wilkinson this morning, but they left in a rush and she had left Seamus’ carrier at Sophie’s flat. Delia called Catherine and asked us to bring him back tomorrow, so-”

“So, you played the gentleman lass and went and picked it up. How chivalrous of you. Did you sweep Ann off her feet then?”

Anne smiled widely and wiggled her eyebrows.

“Oh, Anne! You didn’t not in the Rawson’s loo…”

Anne’s brow furrowed as she tried to figure out what she meant. “Don’t be vulgar, you rude, little trollop and not that it’s _anyone’s_ business but things are progressing very nicely between us. Very slowly, as it should be.”

“Did you get a snog?” Marian teased; her voice was as if she was talking to a child.

Marian watched her sister’s face as it bloomed into a bright smile and despite her sister’s darker complexion, she could see a blush tinge her cheeks.

“Ooh, things are progressing very nicely indeed.” She said, ending her sentence in a low whistle, “Are you going to ring up Barber and Cattle in York to inquire about a ring later?”

Anne gave a start as she remembered that she told her Aunt Anne she would telephone her as soon as she got back to the flat, “No, but I do have to make a call. It appears someone already told Aunt that I was going back to Halifax tomorrow.” Her eyebrow raised in a questioning look.

Marian’s face became worried, “Sorry, did I spoil a surprise?”

Anne chuckled at the look on her face, “No, as a matter of fact, with all the bother about my book and then the party and the lunch today, I completely forgot to call Aunt this morning,” she watched as Marian’s face became mischievous, “And if you tell her that, I _will_ tell Thomas about that birthmark on your ribcage in the shape of Hitchcock.” She pointed at her.

Marian narrowed her eyes at her sister.

Anne continued, “Now, how did _your_ date go?”

“It went very well, thank you. He’s picking me up in an hour and we’re going to see a movie.”

“Oh? That’s promising; two dates in one day, hmm?”

Marian nodded.

“Well, done, Marian. Maybe it’s you who should be making inquiries to Barber and Cattle about rings.”

“Maybe…” Her sister said with a know-all look on her face, sipping her tea with great satisfaction.

Anne smiled and nodded at her and then headed to her bedroom. “I’m off at ten forty-five tomorrow; I won’t be eating breakfast again.”

“When’s the-” Marian stopped talking as she heard the door to Anne’s bedroom shut, “… _wedding_.” She finished, shaking her head and smiling, as she sipped her earl grey and thought about what dress she should wow Thomas with for their date tonight since she already wore the only plunging neckline top she owned.

Anne placed the cat carrier down next to her door where it would be out of the way and took her phone out of her pocket.

“Hey sexy, it’s me, I just wanted to apologize for not calling you before and explaining.”

“Did you lose your mind and think you were calling one of your girlfriends?”

“Why? This isn’t my Aunt Anne?” Anne said, her voice bright and mischievous.

“Hardly sexy…you devil.” Her Aunt said, with a scoff.

“Well, you see yourself your way, and I’ll see yourself mine…”

“Now I _really_ know you have been tippling a little too much wine.”

“No, I might be drunk, but it’s not on wine or liquor,” Anne said, the smile evident in her voice.

“Oh? Who is it this time?” Aunt Anne asked, worried.

“Well, nothing’s been said…and it’s all very, _very_ early stages, so early it shouldn’t even be said at all yet, but I wanted to share with you because I don’t want you to hear it third party.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t know if you know that Ann Walker is down here visiting her Rawson cousins…”

“Yes, I think she did mention she was going to visit family in London, but I didn’t hear who, why?”

“Marian invited me to go out with her to a party at Catherine and Delia Rawson’s and Ann was there and things have been…”

“What then?”

“Well, they’ve been, we’ve been…”

“Oh please don’t tell me you’re having,” Aunt Anne hesitated, not being able to say the word, she continued “…with _Ann Walker_ …”

“No! What?” Anne was a little surprised her Aunt said it like it would be a bad thing. “No…no nothing like that, it’s just, we’ve been talking and flirting and I thought that it might turn into something, but I am taking it slow and I just wanted to let you know before you possibly heard anything from anyone else before me.”

Anne heard her aunt let out an irritated sigh.

“Are you okay, Aunt? Is it your stomach again?”

“No, it’s not that…”

“What then?”

“Nothing…”

“Aunt, please,” She pleaded with her to open up. “You know, if I didn’t know better, I would think you weren’t pleased about what I told you about Ann.”

“Well, I guess you know best then.”

Anne was truly puzzled, in the past her Aunt was always after her to befriend Ann Walker, but she never really had the time or the inclination. Now, when she did, she sounded like it wasn’t a good thing.

“Have I offended you or made you mad?”

“No, you haven’t, it’s just that…”

“What, Aunt? I thought you’d be happy.”

“You know I want you to be happy more than anything in the world, Anne darling, I just…you can be a lot to handle and poor Ann is…”

Anne closed her eyes and hung her head slightly, “Delicate?” She asked.

“Well…yes, as a matter of fact, but that’s not necessarily what I mean. She’s strong enough when she has to be, but I mean…”

“Aunt please, I’ve been getting that from God’s own amount of people lately, I would have hoped one of them wouldn’t be you.”

“Getting what?”

Anne sighed, “The walking on eggshells around me, not telling me what’s wrong, the hesitation, you know how-”

Aunt Anne explained, “She and I have become close at our knitting circle, she confides in me…”

“And?”

“And I don’t want you to swoop in, knock her off her feet and then leave when you get bored of her.”

“Where is this coming from? When have I-”

“Eliza Raine?”

That name stopped Anne in her tracks, the blood that ran through her veins turned icy and she had to bite her tongue. She loved her Aunt more than anyone else in this world right now and she did not want to hurt her by saying something that she would regret for a long time to come.

She decided to go the route she knew wouldn’t get her into trouble, “You’re right, Aunt, I was young and more foolish than I dare to admit, but you know what was going on with her and I didn’t know what to do.”

“So, you left her, instead of coming to someone who could have given you advice that would have helped. You went with that-”

“It just happened, I didn’t know how to handle that, Aunt…you yourself had said…”

“I know, I know and looking back to what I said I deeply regret it now.”

“Why?”

“Because I shouldn’t have allowed you to feel that you had done the right thing…”

“But Aunt-” Anne tried to reason but she was cut off.

“We’re not going to be able to work this all out tonight, Anne. What time are you coming tomorrow?”

Anne sighed and let it drop, “The train leaves at three thirty, we should be to Halifax by no later than six thirty-five or forty. Aunt, please believe that I have only the best intentions towards Ann.”

“I know you do and I’m not saying that I wouldn’t love it if it worked out between you two and that you lived happily ever after. I just want you to know how important it is that you understand everything clearly and that it’s not just your heart you’re playing with. Do you understand?”

“Fully.” Anne said, without hesitation.

“She loves you, you know…”

“I…I got that impression and well, Marian told me.”

“I just want you to know, it would be a big step for her. She’s apparently never felt that way about anyone else and if-”

“I understand, Aunt. I do…” Anne said, sincerely.

“Do you? I mean, do you _really_?”

“Yes,” she answered emphatically. “So, what would you have me do now? Just, tell her I’m not going to go back to Halifax tomorrow and come next week like I had originally planned?”

“Don’t be daft,” Aunt Anne said, incredulously, “You come back here with her, just remember what I’ve told you and make sure you don’t hurt her, that’s all I needed you to understand.”

Anne held the phone to her side and let out a sigh of relief. She put the phone back to her ear and said, “I _do_ understand, Aunt. And I know how much of a disappointment I’ve been to you lately…by not following your advice on Vere…and, and-”

Her Aunt cut her off again, “Anne Lister Jr., don’t ever think that you’re a disappointment to me. You know I love you as if you were my own daughter and I _do_ want you to be happy. All I’m saying…all I want you to take from this tonight is,” She was silent for a moment, but her voice was strong as she said, “if you _cheat_ on that poor girl with that har-”

“Aunt!”

Her Aunt continued, “…lot, I won’t ever speak to you again…I mean it.”

“You know very well I would never chance that happening, don’t you?”

“You better not, you’d be all alone you know. Your father and Marian would be on my side and they wouldn’t speak to you either.”

Anne felt mischievous again, “Well, now, you shouldn’t have said that, Aunt, it might make me chance-”

“Don’t you _dare_ joke about that, it’s not funny. Sometimes I think you like to devil on purpose.”

“Sorry.”

Aunt Anne let that conversation drop and sighed, “Well, I’ve said my peace, now, I’m sure you’ve got an itinerary down to the second, so I’ll leave you to it. Do you need me to send John to pick you up?”

Anne started to answer and her Aunt cut her off, “And _don’t_ tell me you can walk here.”

Anne was going to defend herself and say she could, because she had many times, but she didn’t want to incur her Aunt’s wrath anymore, so she let it go.

“Lydia Wilkinson is picking Ann up, so they said they’d give me a lift to Shibden.”

“Oh, good, well then…I love you and I’m not mad at you, I just want you to be cautious and know what you’re getting yourself and others in to.”

“I do, I know, Aunt and I thank you for reminding me.”

“You’re welcome, give my love to Marian, I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.”

“I will and I can’t either.”

Aunt Anne made a kissing noise and then the call dropped. Anne sat on her bed for a few moments, a little shell shocked. She took in a few deep breaths, focusing her energy and then jumped up to get started on organizing things she wanted to take with her.

Her mobile rang and she saw it was Mariana, she let it go to voicemail and kept on sorting through her clothes in order to ready them for packing.

Fifteen minutes later, she heard her mobile ping and fought off the urge to read it, until she thought about who else it might be.

She read it and smiled. Her heart swelling when she saw the name.

_“I just wanted you to know that I had a delightful time earlier. Even though you were a complete rake to leave me in such a state, but it was my fault, I should have seen it coming. Plus, I asked for it. Thank you for bringing the champagne and I can’t wait for tomorrow. See you then, Ann Walker”_

Anne’s smile was beaming from ear to ear, she realized her hands were shaking as she tried to think of something clever and daring to type back to Ann. Her heart also beat harder at the way she signed the text with both her first and last name, it was the first thing she noticed they did in common. She had often been teased for it before.

Her smile still beaming she typed:

_“My dear Ann, today was indeed an incredible delight. I had a wonderful time and am just now getting everything sorted to pack for tomorrow. Sorry to leave you in such a state, but as I said before, if I didn’t I feared for poor Catherine’s ears and would have probably needed to pay for her therapy for months to come. See you tomorrow at thirty minutes past eleven. Yours ever faithfully and affectionately, Anne Lister, knicker destroyer._

She typed that last bit in a whim of fancy and daring, but then decided not to be too full of herself and deleted that part before pressing send. She immediately saw a heart emoji pop up on her screen and her own heart beat impossibly harder in her chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, I feel really blessed that I'm currently writing this story. It's no lie that this show (and the knowledge that it's a true story and I can deep dive into the history behind it all) has been a blessing for my mental health. So, that's why, with the election where it is currently (I'm still holding out hope) and feeling like I'm standing on a cliff, staring down a precipice, which falls into a murky abyss, I sing these lyrics below to you on a loop. 
> 
> 🎶 I'm off the deep end, watch as I dive in  
>  I'll never meet the ground  
>  Crash through the surface, where they can't hurt us  
>  We're far from the shallow now 🎶
> 
> Songwriters: Andrew Wyatt / Anthony Rossomando / Mark Ronson / Stefani Germanotta <\--Lady Gaga (my other bae) 😁  
> Shallow lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Concord Music Publishing LLC
> 
> We're all in this together now; I'm diving in and keeping my wits about me. Join me? 🤝🏼


	9. Packed With Potential

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moving day! The Ann(e)s are getting ready to go off to Halifax, heaven help Ann's knickers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Production Notes: Had to update the rating again on this one. You'll see why. Totally unrelated, do you all smell something burning? No? Hmmm. Smells like cotton...almost like if you set some underwear on fire...
> 
> 🩲🔥🚒🚨😉

After Catherine pushed the buzzer to let Anne into the building, she quickly ran back to her room to get her robe, knocking on the door to her cousin’s room she yelled, “Ann! I’m sorry to yell, but we’ve overslept! The bloody stupid power went out last night and my alarm didn’t go off!” She sighed, as she heard the knock at the front door and ran to it, pulling her robe over her shoulders as she went to answer it.

“Good morning, Anne,” she said, a little out of breath. She took note of Anne’s raised eyebrow and said in a rush, “Sorry for my appearance, we were up late last night talking and then the power went out while we slept so no one’s alarms went off…”

“It’s okay, Catherine, it’s okay. I’m actually a little early. I didn’t factor in that I would be taking a cab most of the way here.”

“Oh my god, that smells heavenly, what’s in the bag? Is that…not pain au chocolat?!”

Anne smiled and nodded, “Yes, and some scones and fruit and even bagels and lox, I didn’t know really what to get, so I got an array and then coffee and juices are in the cat carrier. I cleaned it out this morning and they’re in bags, by the way.”

Catherine leaned forward to kiss Anne on the cheek and though surprised, Anne accepted it. “You are a savior! I forgot to get coffee yesterday when Ann and I shopped and I used up the last of it after lunch, I was going to wake up early to rush out to get some but...”

“Well then, now you don’t have to,” Anne smiled and held up the cat carrier, “Is your cousin in the shower?”

Catherine sighed, “No, I tried to get her up before I got the door, but she sleeps like the dead.”

“Here,” Anne said, “Why don’t I put these things in the kitchen? Then you can go wake her and we can eat, then you both can get ready, or however you want to work it? Hmm?”

“Do you think you can go wake her? I’ll take these to the kitchen; I’m dying to use the loo…”

Anne narrowed her eyes, “Are you sure she’d want me to go in her room while she’s asleep?”

“I’m positive,” Catherine said, “Just don’t make any loud noises, if you don’t mind, she doesn’t like them.”

Anne smiled, “Who does?”

“You’re right.”

Anne was still skeptical, “You’re positive I shouldn’t take these into the kitchen instead?”

“One hundred percent, it’ll be fine. Unless you don’t want-”

“No, no, that’s fine, I just wanted to be quite sure.”

Catherine realized why Anne would be cautious about that. With any one of her friends or cousins that were girls, there would be no problem at all. But she had to get used to the fact that Anne was a potential lover, and Ann might view that kind of behavior differently. It was another reason she found Anne Lister suitable for a girlfriend for her cousin, she was courteous, had impeccable manners and decorum, but she guessed she could also be excitingly dangerous. Ann would be in good hands she concluded.

“She doesn’t lock the door, just don’t open it too quickly.”

Anne nodded her thanks as she briefly watched Catherine scurry off to the kitchen.

Standing outside her door, Anne was suddenly nervous. Her hand honest to God shook when she lifted it to gently knock on the door. Despite Catherine just saying she could go in and wake her, Anne wasn’t convinced. Even though she did have her hands on Anne’s bum yesterday, and under her summer dress to boot, she wasn’t sure she’d want her to see her when she just woke up. Her hair all tousled and messy, clothes possibly disheveled, revealing body parts that she didn’t want revealed just yet. Anne looked down at the floor and took a deep breath, she couldn’t believe just the thought of going in there and possibly seeing Ann naked was making her sweat.

She decided to just open the door slightly, and if she was in any sort of state of undress, she would send Catherine in there to wake her cousin. When the door was slightly ajar, she looked in quickly and saw that she had a nightgown on, didn’t appear to have any skin exposed that shouldn’t have been and that as she slept, she was hugging the pillow next to her.

‘Oh, she’s one of those sleepers, all hugged up to their partner.’ Anne grinned widely and her heart picked up in speed. She knew she shouldn’t get ahead of herself here, but she couldn’t wait to be with someone like that. The women she’d been with lately, including Mary, were not ones to want to sleep anywhere near her, always claiming she gave off too much body heat and once they were done getting what she could give them, would mainly roll over and go to sleep or go wash themselves and then go to sleep, giving her a perfunctory kiss on the cheek and bidding her a good night sleep.

The truth was, even though the women were passionate lovers, they were still a bit traditional in their manners and decorum. Which meant that a lot of hugging and kissing wasn’t necessarily welcome. Especially with Vere. She was the closest to the aristocracy that Anne had been with since Vere’s Aunt Sibella and while Vere wasn’t technically an out lesbian, she thought that if she loved her enough she would be able to overlook all of that. But still, it meant that Vere was always holding her off from really showing affection and it bothered her. 

Mariana was the only one throughout the years that came close to the sort of relationship she was looking for, except she always went back to her husband afterwards, even if she stayed with her for a week, she knew at the end of it, she’d be going back to Charles.

In the bed that she was currently staring at, happily snoring away, was the one who could buck the trend. The one who only loved Anne and wanted to be with her for her. Her head started to feel like it had carbonated water in it and she looked down at the ground, holding onto the door knob until she got ahold of her emotions.

Finally feeling like she wouldn’t make a fool of herself by crying, she took soft steps to the bed and called out as quietly as she could, while still being heard, to Ann, but the only thing she got in return were deeper snores. She chuckled at how cute that sounded and sat on the side of her bed.

“Ann…” She waited a few beats, then more forcefully, “Ann.”

Ann’s body stiffened and she realized that someone was on her bed and that someone was Anne Lister. She snuggled into the pillow to hide her face and groaned.

Anne laughed and said, “Catherine sent me in to come wake you, so if you are uncomfortable, I can leave. I just wanted to let you know that she said the power went out last night and your alarm didn’t go off.”

Ann rolled over quickly and blinked up at Anne, trying to process what she had just said. Anne watched as it took a few more blinks for her to really understand what was happening.

“What time is it?”

“Two minutes past eleven.”

“How long have you been here?”

“I just got in; I was early, sorry.”

“Catherine and I were going to go to the store for coffee at eleven…”

“Yes, apparently there was a power outage last night and it knocked your alarms out.”

“But I set one on my phone for ten.”

Anne smiled and shrugged her shoulders, “I can’t tell you what happened. I wish I could.”

Ann sat up and looked at her, her heart was already beating hard about the fact that Anne was sitting on her bed. Then as she took in what she was wearing it started to feel a little too much, she had to avert her eyes.

Anne could tell what was happening to her, because it was happening to her as well, she stood up quickly and nodded her head, “I’ll go check on the food, you can take a shower and get dressed…in peace.”

“You brought food?”

“Yes, I had said I’d bring brunch remember?”

“Oh, yes…”

“Are you okay? Did you need something?”

“Ummm…”

“Yes? What is it, little one?” The nickname just came to her, like she had said it before.

Ann’s head snapped up and she smiled at Anne, “Thank you for coming to wake me up…it’s umm…I just…”

Anne was a little disappointed, it seems that now Ann had caught whatever bug had bit Aunt Anne and Marian that caused them to act with the hesitation and walking on eggshells around her.

“Are you asking me to leave the room before you get up?” She asked, pointing towards the door. “I’m happy to wait in the kitchen or the lounge for you…”

Ann sighed and decided to just tell her what she wanted. Throwing caution to the wind, she asked, “Can you come here and give me a kiss good morning?”

Anne was briefly puzzled and then her lips broke into a wide smile. She walked dutifully to the side of the bed and sat down, letting Ann dictate the pace. Ann sat up and put her hands on either side of Anne’s face, softly stroking the sides of her jaws for a few moments, memorizing how it felt and looking at her lips, then up to her eyes, then back down to her lips again. Anne was strongly tempted to lean in and kiss her with abandon, but she sensed that this was something that the younger woman needed to do, so she sat patiently and let her do what she wanted.

After a few more moments of Ann studying the look and feel of Anne’s face, she snaked her hand behind the taller woman’s neck and pulled her in for what started as a soft, slow, sensuous kiss, but quickly became something more hurried and frantic. Ann pulled her closer and if it wasn’t at all humanly possible, Anne wouldn’t have been surprised if the blonde woman ended up behind her from trying to get as close as she possibly could. Anne pulled Ann’s arm from behind her neck and ended their kiss by sitting back. The younger woman looked disappointed that the kiss ended, then realized she was probably being too forward and Anne would have looked down on her for that. She hung her head down and said quietly, “Sorry.”

Anne’s brow furrowed as she looked at Ann, her heart broke for her as she saw the uncertain look on her face. Aunt Anne’s words had been on a loop in her head since she talked to her on the phone last night and despite a very strong urge to want to push Ann back on the bed, grip her collar firmly in her hands, rip her night dress into a front opening style and have her way with her, she understood that this was something she was going to have to take her time with. But that didn’t mean that she wasn’t going to give some pleasure to the woman who she could see was in desperate need for a release and also was currently breaking down all her stereotypical partner criteria and expectations. She smiled as the moments stretched on and put her finger under Ann’s chin, tilting her head up to look at her in the eyes. “What are you sorry for?”

“For taking it too far, here I asked for just a good morning kiss and I practically throw myself at you and squeeze you impossibly hard.”

Anne nodded, “It was as though you were going to end up going right through me and somehow end up behind my back, but I wasn’t complaining, was I? Mm?” She asked, slightly turning Ann’s face to the side so she could spot that mole on her jaw again.

“No, but…”

“So, you want to stop? You don’t want any more kisses?” Anne said, with a raised eyebrow and a sideways grin on her face.

“Well…I…”

Anne smoothed her thumb along Ann’s jawline and traced the backs of her fingers lightly over the mole. It made Ann shiver slightly, her eyebrows raising in the obvious thrall of arousal.

“Is this okay?” Anne switched to caressing her jaw with her thumb, a little bit harder but still gentle.

The feeling of Anne’s hands on her skin, and the look in her eyes, lids hooded slightly, her own arousal evident, made Ann’s core twitch violently, she let out a gasp from the force of it and she saw Anne’s face change slightly to add a curious look.

“If I kissed that spot on your jaw, would that be okay, or should I just go see about the food?”

‘Damn the food, Anne.’ Ann thought, however, not trusting her voice, she could do little other than nod mutely.

“Which is it? Mm? Kissing?”

“Yes…”

Anne leaned in and kissed Ann’s mole, when Ann felt the tip of her tongue peek out and touch her jaw, it was as if that spot were connected to her impossibly hard clitoris and it gave her another strong throbbing jolt. She knew that if Anne kept this up for another minute or so, she would definitely have an orgasm right in front of her and she didn’t know how to feel about that. On the one hand, it would have been a grateful release, the likes of which she knew would be better than anything she was able to give herself. But she would also be embarrassed because Anne would know she was very inexperienced in the sex department and she had always worried that it would turn Anne off, being the highly sexual creature that Ann, and the rest of the Halifax and Huddersfield set, had known she was.

She bent her head down, almost in shame, unsure if she should tell Anne that they should stop this, before it was too late. Anne pulled back slightly and looked at her.

“What is it? Are you feeling alright?”

Ann’s hands gripped the taller woman’s upper arms to steady herself.

“I feel…fine…but I think maybe we… we…should stop and I should go take a cold shower.” She said and hung her head again.

That made Anne smile sympathetically. She was having trouble keeping her libido in check around Ann and if the younger woman was as in love with her for the best part of ten years, as everyone was telling her she’d been, she knew exactly what she would be feeling right now.

“Would you like to sit upon my knee?”

“What?” Ann picked up her head and looked at her, not really sure what she meant.

“Here, I’ll show you,” Anne stood up and then took Ann’s hand, helping her keep steady as she got down off the bed. She led her over to a chair next to the dressing table and sat Ann down across her lap. “There now, this isn’t so bad, is it? Hmm?”

“No…”

“Am I making you uncomfortable?”

Ann looked at her with a half amused, half worried look on her face and made the older woman’s heart clench.

Anne cocked her head to the side and said, “Tell me, my sweet, what do you need?”

“I…I don’t…know…”

“Kissing? Hmm?”

Ann nodded, she couldn’t help herself, she wanted to feel Anne’s lips on her again.

“Touching?”

Ann’s eyes slid closed and she bent her head down slightly, giving her a short, sharp nod.

“Look at me,” Anne said and waited until Ann opened her eyes before speaking again, “You have nothing to fear from me. I’m here for whatever you need from me. Do you understand?”

Ann nodded and then leaned down to kiss this impossibly patient, understanding and utterly gorgeous woman. As soon as her lips were on Anne’s she slid her tongue out to lick her lips and Anne’s parted to welcome it in. The intensity was even more than it had been before, the soft abyss, the wet heat was easily ten times more than it had been and Ann’s clitoris started to react again with a quickness that made her dizzy. This gasp was even louder than the one that she had let out before and she could feel a grin break out on Anne’s lips. For some reason even that made her incredibly hot and again, the little bundle of nerves at the center of her womanhood started twitching and throbbing in earnest. She pulled her mouth away from Anne and rested her forehead on the taller woman’s.

Anne knew what she needed instinctively but wanted to make sure it was okay.

“Touching?”

Ann nodded and felt the hem of her nightdress being lifted by one hand and then another hand come to the front and gently caress her breastbone. She wanted to ask Anne to go lower and cup her breast, but she couldn’t really talk at the moment, she was trying to concentrate on not exploding too soon. As Anne’s hand reached her underwear, she inhaled sharply. With a firm hand Anne cupped her mound and at the same time, firmly cupped her breast with the other, massaging her hard, aching nipple through the thin material with her thumb. Ann shook her head and closed her eyes, she tried to think of things (besides Catherine’s grandmother) to think of so she wouldn’t climax too soon, possibly ending all of this wonderful closeness and worst of all, look like an amateur.

“My darling,” Anne whispered, the arousal evident in her voice made Ann’s clit jump again. “Ann, look at me…”

Ann opened her eyes and Anne could see that she was so close all she would have to do is move a couple of passes over her clit and she would fall over that cliff. She was giddy with excitement for the younger woman. Waiting a few more beats as she could see Ann’s eyes dilating, trying to focus on Anne’s face.

“You can let go, my love…it’s okay, I’ve got you…” As she said that, she pressed the hard nub through the impossibly wet strip of cloth covering her vagina and then captured her mouth in a bruising kiss, making what would prove to be an ultimately futile attempt to catch Ann’s moans as she let herself fall into the pool of pleasure waiting for her to dive into.

Ann’s moans turned into shouts as her lips fell away from Anne’s, her hips jerking and shuddering as she rutted against the brunette woman’s fingers, seeking to get more pleasure from them. Her thirst was still not slaked and as Anne’s fingers kept their pressure over her hard clit, she was surprised that she felt her pleasure rise to even higher heights. It was like nothing she had ever experienced before in her almost twenty-five years. The hand on her breast pinched her nipple hard and that’s all it took for her to cry out from the most pleasure she’d ever felt in her life. Her hips momentarily stilled and all the pressure that had been building concentrated and exploded in the lower half of her body. She felt the hand that had been on her breast, firmly hold her by the back of the neck and pull her in for another soul restoring kiss. The fingers over her mound stilled but kept up the pressure she needed to ride out the last few, incredibly pleasurable waves that were lapping over her, like a warm pool of inviting water keeping her afloat and helping to soothe all of the hurt and pain she’d felt over the course of her life.

Anne waited to move her fingers directly off of Ann’s clit until she felt the stronger throbs subside, she kept them close, just over her opening that she could also feel was still throbbing. She didn’t attempt to try to go inside at all, just keeping a firm pressure on it, knowing it would give Ann some more pleasure. She also did it because she was loving the feeling of being able to do that for this angel.

Ann pulled back from their burning kiss to get more air into her lungs and Anne put her hand on the back of her head, bringing it to rest in the crook of her neck. She smiled after a few minutes as she felt Ann’s lips on her neck, languidly kissing and licking the skin there. When she felt that the throbs to her core had almost completely subsided, she moved her hand off of the blonde’s soaked knickers entirely. She pulled her hand out from underneath her nightdress and placed it on her thigh, squeezing and rubbing it soothingly.

She was content to hold Ann like this for however long it took her to come back to her senses and the feeling of the light kisses and licks to the skin of her neck was pleasure enough to feel like she wasn’t only giving, but she had been receiving pleasure as well. After a few minutes of this, Ann’s kisses and licks became more forceful and when she felt suction and then a nip at the delicate skin, she said, “Ooh, best not to leave a mark there, my darling, I haven’t packed anything with a collar high enough to hide it, and Catherine will be curious.”

Ann groaned and kissed the spot that she nipped, her strong, yet satisfied, voice leaving no question that she was back to the land of the living, “Let her be…”

Anne chuckled, “And brave the talk of Halifax, Lightcliffe and Huddersfield?”

Ann pulled back and cocked her head in thought, “I’m thinking of hiring a billboard in each town along the Leeds Road, M58 and M62.”

Anne laughed uproariously at that, “What would they say?”

Ann pulled back and looked out at the wall, pretending there was something written on it and waved her hand across the imaginary text.

“Attention all: Anne Lister is taken, please direct all correspondence regarding Ms. Lister’s love life in care of Ann Walker, Lidgate, _Lightcliffe_ , Hipperholme, Halifax HX3 8TD.”

Anne loved the fact that she was so detailed on the address and she laughed out loud. She also was a little taken aback by the fact that Ann had already claimed her after just three days of meeting again, and it made her heart swell about three sizes in her chest. As she thought about it more, she was surprised by the feeling of tears springing to her eyes and kept laughing to cover it up. It wasn’t like the laughter was fake, the joke was funny, but these tears were definitely threatening to spill over. One traitorous tear did manage to escape and she bent her head to Ann’s shoulder feigning embarrassment in order to use her nightdress to wipe it from her eye and cheek. 

Ann put her lips on the top of Anne’s head and gave it a slow, thankful kiss. Without taking her lips off of Anne’s head she whispered, “I love you.”

It was almost imperceptible and if Anne weren’t focused on trying to get her emotions under control, she wouldn’t have heard it. Except now, she could do nothing to stop the new rush of tears that sprung to her eyes and threatened to soak the shoulder of Ann’s nightdress. Thankfully, the knot that formed in her throat was making it impossible for her to utter a sound or Ann would surely have heard her blubbing.

‘I know, my love.’ Were the words that popped in her head, but she didn’t want to say that, because it would have implied that she was afraid to say it back to her. Which would be accurate, if she were being honest. She felt a great deal of affection for Ann, even so soon in their relationship, if she could call it that yet, but she didn’t dare utter those words to anyone so freely. Not since Mary took and kept her heart for all those years, stringing her along to endlessly trail behind her in a hopeless state of love. If she counted all the times that she had said those words to Mariana and then charged her ten pounds each for them, she could simultaneously end world hunger and pay for world peace twice over. The fact that she couldn’t say it to some of the women she had been with over the years was probably a big reason why their relationships went bad so soon. She’d have to work out what to do about that with Ann, because she definitely did not want to lose her anytime soon.

Ann kept her lips on the top of Anne’s head for a few more moments, closing her eyes and thanking the heavens for answering her prayers. She then placed a trail of tiny kisses from the top of her head, over to the side of her face and then stopped at her ear. “Thank you, Anne.” She whispered.

Anne swallowed the lump in her throat and cleared it in the hopes that when she spoke her voice would sound normal, “What for?” Was all she could think to say.

“For s-” ‘Saving me’ she wanted to say, but then realized it might make her sound desperate and while she was that, she knew that it was still very early for them and didn’t want to put that kind of pressure on Anne. She knew boldness would be needed to combat the fact that she was so inexperienced and so she said, “For not laughing at how quickly I came all over your hand.”

Anne closed her eyes again she normally would have laughed at that, but it was breaking her heart and she cursed the fact that she was being so soft right now. She did manage to finally stave off fresh tears and chuckled quietly. She gave Ann’s shoulder a kiss and remarked that the spot she had been leaning on was indeed damp. ‘What kind of spell does this woman have me under?’ Anne asked herself. Not finding a suitable answer she picked her head up, looking into Ann’s eyes and feeling a little of her old self come back to her, said, “I would never laugh at you for that, it was incredibly hot and when we have more time, it’s not going to matter how quickly you come on my hand, because you’ll be doing it all night long.”

Ann’s core throbbed at that and she groaned. “Can we just stay here today and not go back until tonight or tomorrow? How does next month sound?”

“It sounds like my Aunt will kill me, I have so many things to do back at Shibden it’s not even funny. Booth and Pickles will be run ragged.”

Ann leaned in for another kiss and Anne broke it after a while, before it got too hot and heavy. She gave her a kiss to the cheek and said, “Now, let’s get you washed and dressed. Is the shower through there?” Tilting her head to the room next to the closet.

“Yes.”

“Good, that way you don’t have to do the walk of shame across the hall in front of Mr. O’Kitty and your cousin.”

Ann laughed and then her eyes went wide.

“Do you think that…”

Anne smirked and said, “Catherine is out in the kitchen playing music so loud that the neighbors are going to complain? Yes, I do.”

Ann placed her hand over her mouth, “Oh, Lord…”

“Well, let’s get you up and on your way to cleanliness, they say it’s next to Godliness you know. And I am nothing if not Godly.” Anne said, with a smile and a wink.

As Ann stood up on shaky legs she let out a sigh and waited for Anne to get up before putting her arms around the taller woman’s waist and laying her head on her chest.

“You are a Goddess to me.” She whispered.

“Careful Ms. Walker, what would your knitting circle at the church say for that kind of heretic talk?”

“Are you kidding? I could publish a book and scandalize every single one except your Aunt.”

Anne nodded her head in agreement, “That woman is Mother Teresa, Abraham Lincoln and Sir Richard Attenborough, all rolled into one. Except she does have a bit of Nigella with her food porn meals, so I don’t know…”

Ann laughed and finally left Anne’s warm embrace to go into the en suite bathroom and take her shower. Her progress was stopped by Anne catching her by the hand and pulling her back into her for one last kiss. When it ended, she looked into the blonde woman’s eyes and said, “You’re welcome and I wanted you to know…while I can’t say it back to you right at the moment, I did hear you and I’m feeling incredibly smitten with you, so much so that what you said made me cry and I’m excited to go on this journey with you. Not only the one today back to Halifax, but one that will hopefully lead to us spending all of our free time trying to one up each other on everything,” She waited for a beat or two, then said, “especially lovemaking.”

It was Ann’s turn to try to hold back tears, but she was never very good at it and she let them fall freely. After a few moments of getting herself in control, she brought Anne’s hand up to her lips and placed a grateful kiss on it.

Anne smiled and said, “Now, I must insist that you go shower, or we’ll both be in serious trouble. My Aunt isn’t…as the kids like to say…’playing’ today and we have to get a move on.”

Ann reluctantly obeyed and Anne dared not follow her into the en suite to wash her hands in the sink, she went instead to the door to the corridor and chuckled as she heard Catherine blasting the music in the kitchen, just like she had guessed.

She looked up to the ceiling and prayed silently to ensure that whatever was about to happen to her in the kitchen from Catherine, would be quick and merciful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all of you willing to take the plunge with me! We're still in the deep end, not coming up until a certain someone is on his way to out of a certain house that rhyme's with fight. 😀✌🏼
> 
> Also, I was able to write a bit more in the past couple of days, to keep my mind off of the TV and refreshing my phone, so here is the chapter a little earlier than I normally post it. 💕


	10. That Silly Business With Miss Lister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne has gone out to face her doom (dun dun dun...) and Ann goes in to clean that thang. 😲😀 Plus, the choo choo is headed to Halifax, finally! 🚂 📢All aboard!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WE DID IT, BABES!!!!!!!!! WE DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 💗🍾🥂🙌🏼🎉🎆🎇🚀 THAT MF IS GOING TO BE OUT OF THE WH IN LESS THAN THREE MONTHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *picks you all up and dances with you!!!!* Oh my Lord, sorry there, got carried away! Whew!!! That's 4 years of anger and frustration being released. Now I need a cig. 😙🚬 
> 
> Sorry this chap. is a little late, it ended up being longer than I normally post, so hopefully that makes up for it. I should be back on schedule this week, but unfortunately, work might be a little busy, so we'll see. If you notice that I'm slacking and wonder if I fell down a hole, come yell at me on Twitter, like my pal did, (thanks friend!) to me earlier. 😉
> 
> Still on such a high from the election! YES!!!!! YAAAAASSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!! 😁 Okay, I'll stop, as I'm a LadyWoman and a LadyWoman doesn't gloat...much. 🤭

As she left the room Ann was staying in, she took care not to close the door too hard. Even though Catherine was obviously using the music to drown out any sound coming from her cousin’s room, she didn’t want to chance making any noise and alerting her to the fact that she was heading to the bathroom, she needed to wash her hands and tidy herself before she met face to face with her.

Still pulling the door slowly closed, it was almost completely shut when a thought occurred to her and she went back into the room. Looking around she spied Ann’s suitcase and opened it, rummaging through it she found what she was looking for, put them in her pocket made it back out into the corridor. Slipping into the bathroom just off to the right, she closed the door behind her gently and started stripping down to her underwear. They were completely soaked through from what had just happened in Ann’s room and she knew she would be uncomfortable for the long journey home if she didn’t put on something fresh. Not wanting to encounter Catherine on the way to her own suitcase, she had taken a pair of Ann’s knickers to change into, hoping they weren’t a favorite pair or anything and she wouldn’t have been too upset. She reasoned that she would be able to wash them and return them to her, without her knowing of course, sometime down the road in their relationship.

After she cleaned herself, pulled on the slightly tighter than she was used to cotton French cut style underwear, she carefully folded her now ruined ones until they were as small as she could get them. She then used a couple of squares of bog roll to push aside the trash in the small can beside the sink to put them at the bottom and covered it back up with the trash. Stepping up to the mirror, she appraised herself and was happy with what she saw. Her hair was a little bit mussed from Ann’s hands being in it, but other than her eyes being slightly puffy from the small cry she had on Ann’s shoulder, she was looking pretty well. She brought her hand up to smooth back some hair that had fallen into her face and caught the distinct smell of Ann on her fingers. Her heart got that full feeling again and she swooned as she breathed it in a little deeper, feeling her clitoris throb with excitement, she closed her eyes. ‘I’m going to have to keep changing my knickers all day if this keeps up.’ She chuckled to herself, but still went back in for another sniff. It was odd, she had never regarded herself as one of those people that would go around trying to sniff women’s underwear, but if she could, she would bottle this scent. It was musky, yet sweet and she had a curious urge to lick it, but she resisted. ‘Get ahold of yourself, Anne, it’s just been three days, you have to take it easy.’ Shaking all urges off, she turned on the tap and ran her hands under the water, soaping them up and humming to herself to hopefully keep her mind off of what she had been about to do.

After finally finishing, she opened the door quietly again and looked out into the corridor towards the kitchen, she spied Catherine’s head pulling back from the doorway of the kitchen rapidly and Anne assumed correctly that she had been trying to hear if they were done in Ann’s room.

Anne decided _not_ to use that information to devil her, knowing full well that Catherine had set her up to go in there, most likely, to do just what she had done to help her cousin out and instead of being bothered by that at all, it made her smile. She was quickly becoming absolutely convinced that Catherine Rawson was a saint at best and a very good person to have on your side at worst.

She smoothed her hands over her shirt and adjusted her jeans before walking down the corridor and into the kitchen, noting that the music was now at an acceptable level for a Sunday morning. It was jazz which for some reason helped increase Anne’s courage in facing Catherine. Surely, if she had been put out, it would have been something more maudlin, she reasoned with herself.

‘Here goes.’ She thought.

“She’s up,” Anne said, cheerily, rounding the corner and walking into the kitchen.

“I’ll bet she is…” Catherine said, a little low, but enough to be heard and narrowed her eyes at Anne. She took pleasure in the taller woman’s face falling slightly, she hardly ever got a chance to devil someone as well adjusted and self-assured as Anne Lister and she was finding it very pleasing to see her squirm. But never one to watch someone suffer for long, she let out a laugh and a gave her a huge grin. “…though she’s probably having some trouble standing I would imagine. I should have let her use my bath.”

Anne’s eyes widened and Catherine winked. The darker haired woman let out a sigh of relief and chuckled, her mouth settled into a sheepish grin. “Well…”

Catherine said, “I didn’t hear a _thing_ by the way, but Seamus said that he and Ann are over now, he’s quite sad at that,” She said, with an air of superiority in having this information to hold over Anne. “Pretty _angry_ at you as well for usurping her love, actually. He’s been in a state all the while.” She nodded her head towards where he was sitting.

Anne smirked at her and then looked over at the cat who was busy licking his coat, without a care in the world. He stopped and looked lazily back at Anne, who wondered if the cat in some small way harbored ill will towards her for what happened in Ann’s room. She wouldn’t be surprised because Ann was pretty special, as she was happily finding out. Seamus blinked at her slowly for a few moments and then walked over to her, rubbing his back and sides on her legs.

Catherine scoffed, “Seamus, you _traitor_ , you were supposed to pretend you’re mad at her!”

Anne laughed as she bent down and picked up the cat.

“He’s a good boy, is Mr. O’Kitty, isn’t he?” She kissed his neck and rubbed her nose into is fur, “He’s the best chap. Mm? Loves me like I was his own dearest one, isn’t that right, darling? But then again…” She looked at Catherine deadpan and finished, “…there hasn’t been a pussy that-”

“Anne!” Catherine scolded her.

“…I couldn’t charm.” She finished with a self-satisfied smirk.

“You’re _such_ a scandal!” She shook her head breaking out into laughter and swiping the air as if to push her away.

Anne smiled and wiggled her eyebrows, she knew she shouldn’t be so bold with Ann’s cousin, especially about the blonde’s sex life, but she was feeling pretty full of herself, especially after Seamus showed he was very friendly towards her. She wasn’t lying out on the balcony the other night when she told Ann that cats could sense who the best people were. Dogs were always vying for your attention and love, no matter what kind of jerk you were, but with cats, most didn’t care if you came or went, unless you were the one who fed them. Most of them saw new people as a scratching post but didn’t want to really form a bond. However, if you were a good person, they sought you out, and allowed you to form a connection.

As Anne spoke in a loving voice to the cat and continued to scratch his neck and head drawing out the loudest purrs that Catherine ever had heard come out of his body, she mused that Anne was not kidding, there _wasn’t_ a pussy that she couldn’t charm. She wondered how she would react if Anne ever really turned that charm her way, but that would never be a thing, she quickly concluded, not because she identified as straight, but because her cousin would strike her down with such wrath that any trace of Catherine Rawson ever having existed would not be found.

Shaking that thought out of her head with a laugh she looked at Anne and said, “Well, I think you’ve proved your point there.”

Anne straightened her back, gave her a stern side-eyed look, as she held Seamus a little more possessively to her, fitting his head in the crook of her neck, she kissed the top of the purring cat’s head as if to illustrate that this was hers and she would sooner strike Catherine down than look at her, if she did anything to ever hurt him. Like not give him treats or something.

A shiver went through the lighter brunette’s body and she stood frozen. ‘Oh, God, here’s the thrall…’ She thought.

Anne smiled widely and winked at her, knowing her charm was working, but laughed and said, “See?”

Catherine’s eyes went wide and then narrowed as she realized, the woman was kidding, she had almost been sucked in. She got ahold of herself, narrowed her eyes at Anne and asked, “See what?” With a defiant shrug.

Anne knew better, but dropped it, she wasn’t about to try to bed Catherine Rawson, actually, it started out as a joke for her really, but she guessed she was signaling to Ann’s cousin that when she wanted something, she could get it and she wasn’t someone to be trifled with.

Catherine realized in that moment that the rumors about Anne Lister and her Aunts Ellen and Emma were probably, most definitely true. She was truly in awe of this woman and her prowess. There was slightly a worry about Anne being able to keep faithful to her cousin, but she’d seen enough in the past few days that they only had eyes for each other and in time, Anne would see that Ann was worthy of her fidelity and wouldn’t cheat.

Anne shrugged her shoulders and asked, “Is that the Times?” She asked, nodding her head towards the paper strewn out over the island.

“Y-yes,” Catherine said, still incredulous at how quickly she had been sucked in by Anne’s thrall and drew in a sharp breath, letting it out while she explained, “I’m trying to do the crossword puzzle and failing miserably.”

“Here, let’s have a go…” Anne said, bringing Seamus with her over to the stool next to where Catherine had set up and looking at some of the clues, “Not too bad so far.”

Catherine looked at her like she had just told her she was ugly.

“Not too bad? I’ve been sitting here for the past thirty odd minutes and have managed to get only three clues so far.”

Anne looked over what she had already put into the puzzle and corrected her in a matter of fact voice, “Two.” She then looked at Seamus’s head and suddenly found his ears interesting, feeling Catherine’s look on her, she didn’t want to call attention to her error except to say she only had two clues filled in correctly.

“Two?” Catherine said, confused. That was not possible, she’d been so confident on all the ones she did get that she knew Anne must be messing her about.

“Two.” Anne said, smiling as Seamus’ purr grew louder as she found the exact right place to scratch just at the base of his ear. Even Catherine had to smile at how loud he was, but she recovered and was cocky about her answers.

“Fifty pounds…” She said, challengingly.

“Hmm?” Anne asked, feigning puzzlement.

“Fifty pounds says _all_ of my answers are correct.” Catherine held her hand out for a shake, another challenging move.

“Catherine, I’m not going to take your bet.”

“Why? Afraid I might be fifty pounds richer in about two minutes?”

“No, I’m not going to take your bet because I don’t want to take your money.”

“No, you’re not going to take my bet because I think you’re scared,” Catherine said, holding her hand out a little closer for a shake.

“Scared?”

“Yes,” Catherine said, and raised her eyebrow even higher. A small, certain-she-was-correct-smile was on her lips. It gave her a thrill to be right and to be able to have a truly wonderful tale to tell at future parties. “Care to put your money where your mouth is? Or does the cat have your tongue?”

Anne smiled and shook her head, saying with an amused sound to her voice, “Oh, okay, little girl, I see what you’re playing at. I had hoped to avoid this sort of thing, especially when I’m new to the family in such an intimate way-”

Catherine said, narrowing her eyes, “You’re stalling.”

“This is the thing, I don’t want to take your money, Catherine. I feel betting for sport and losing to a potential future family member is beneath your dignity…”

Catherine cocked her head to the side in slight confusion, that was the second time in as many minutes that Anne had alluded to herself as a someone who would be a family member. Her smile grew wide as she realized the implications of that statement.

But she only said, “I think you’re frightened…”

“Oh, you do, do you?” Anne’s voice was challenging, and Catherine could tell she was rising to the bait.

“Yes, you don’t want to be seen as one who has lost to a Rawson,” Catherine sighed sympathetically and said, “I know it’s particularly galling to the people of Halifax, as we Rawson’s are _all_ so successful.”

Anne knew Catherine was teasing, but she also knew her words were hitting the mark too closely. The Rawson’s were or married very successful people, or like she and Delia were on their way to doing just that. Even though she and Marian were very good at what they did and Anne was about to become more popular from her books in the next couple of years to come, they were only just two Listers, the Rawson’s had bucket loads of children and grandchildren. She had to bite her tongue and count to ten before answering, or it would have been awkward between them until she and Ann left for Halifax.

“ _You_ , Ms. Rawson,” She said, pointing to Catherine, “have got yourself a bet,” she said and accepted Catherine’s handshake and continued with a cheeky grin, “Fifty quid, no take backsies or reversies.”

Catherine laughed uproariously, “No take backsies or reversies? Oh, Anne,” she said, letting go of her hand and putting it on her shoulder, “That took me back to childhood.” She also laughed because, for some reason, she couldn’t really picture Anne Lister being a child who played games and said things like that but she now had a picture of that in her mind and it was making her tear up.

She hid it though, not wanting to make Anne worried about what emotions this normally even-tempered, level-headed, woman was crying about. The truth was, it had been a hard ten years for her cousin and in turn for her because she had been the one who was there for Ann without fail. It was a fact that Ann had been doing so much better since her last breakdown, her doctors had finally found the right mix of therapy and medication for her to almost be back to her old self again and now with Anne Lister in her corner, helping her experience true, unbridled love, Catherine could finally breathe a real sigh of relief. It’s not like she resented being the only one that Ann could lean on for so long, but she knew she didn’t have to do alone anymore and she knew that Ann needed this woman that sat next to her, kissing the cat and acting like she had won the bet already. Catherine was happy to know that her cousin was finally be going to live the life she had always dreamed of, with the woman she loved.

As they heard Ann’s blow dryer, Catherine got up to start laying out the food Anne had brought. The bet between the two women of who was the Prime Minister of England from 1957 to 1963 was all but forgotten. The conversation turned to other areas and they chatted happily to each other about a wide variety of topics, but mostly about how Anne could help Catherine get back at Delia for being a brat.

As soon as Ann was done with her hair, she applied some moisturizer and a bit of foundation and then lip rouge, not wanting to pile it on too much, but making her look a bit fresher, less tired looking than she had been. Last night, despite being very aroused for most of the previous day, especially after Anne left, she had gotten a good night’s sleep. Then, her wakeup call this morning from Anne had been the best tonic for all of that pent-up horniness, so she was feeling really bright and energized. As she chose what to wear, she took into account what Anne was wearing, which was a white t-shirt, over which a beautiful purple/red/white/blue soft plaid flannel button down, it was open at the front showing the crisp white shirt and her shirt sleeves rolled up to her elbows revealing the tattoo she loved on her right arm, her blue jeans were straight leg medium wash and were cuffed at the bottom, revealing a pair of black Chuck Taylor hi-top trainers that had a rainbow colored star on the sides, instead of the regular white. The look was casual, yet stylish and just the thought of her in those clothes was getting her hot again. Especially because it was a look that she thought she’d never see Anne in, being the kind of person that her mother would call, “put together”. She concluded that Anne would look incredibly chic in anything she wore and she now she was thinking of her in a car mechanic’s outfit and her heart started to hammer in her chest. She was thankfully saved from going down a very thirsty path as she heard laughter trickle in from the kitchen. Speeding up her actions, she smiled as she got dressed into something that would complement the look Anne had on without being too matchy, drawing thoughts of being sisters. The laughter became louder and her smile became deeper. She was glad Anne and Catherine seemed to genuinely like each other and that she’d have someone else to bring into their monthly hang outs. With Ann settled, maybe now Catherine could concentrate on her own love life, which seemed to have stalled lately. Ann’s smile became deeper as she thought of the word “settled” in relation to being with Anne Lister. Something only a year ago she knew for a certainty would never happen but now was a definite possibility, especially with what Anne said before she sent Ann off to take a shower. There was a tingle between her legs as she also thought about what happened before that and she blushed crimson, her cheeks almost hurting with the huge smile that grew impossibly wider with each moment.

After basking in the afterglow, she worked on tamping those feelings down so that she could make it through this day, but then the words Anne had said the day before came back to her as well and stirred up delicious feelings in her stomach: “Today was just the appetizers, tomorrow a palate cleanser and when we get back to Halifax, if you’re ready, I’m going to feast on the main course.”

Ann’s eyes went wide and she thought, ‘If today was just a palate cleanser, then what will the main course do to me?’ She was equally delighted and fearful of how she would react to Anne using her mouth on…she couldn’t even think of the words without blushing again and went into the bathroom to run a flannel under cool water to put on the back of her neck and face.

*****

“Do you think I should go check on her?” Anne asked, looking at her watch.

Catherine was taking out the rewarmed pain au chocolat from the oven, as Anne had suggested, so they would be slightly flakier and nicely warmed with their coffee. She stopped midway to the island and looked at Anne dubiously, “Are you joking?” She asked, shaking her head. “No, I don’t think so, ma’am. You two would never leave the room and your Aunt would be mad at me and-and, I’d have to don a blindfold in order to pry you both apart with a chisel.”

Anne looked at Catherine shocked, then started laughing and Catherine could see a tinge of a blush high on her cheeks, making her feel proud that she could make Anne laugh that hard and it made her laugh too.

It was then that Ann came into the kitchen, all freshly showered and beaming. Anne looked up and her heart did a jump, the blonde looked good enough to eat. She had a plaid button down on too, hers in red, black and white, with thin green, black, blue and yellow stripes pattern and a thin beige cardigan over it. Her white t-shirt had more of a plunging neckline and Anne could see a couple of more moles on her skin just below her collar bone and one on the delicate slope of her breast that was showing before it was obscured by the material of her shirt. Anne saw the look in her eyes and knew exactly what she was feeling. She spotted her arms and if her eyes weren’t any indication of how she was feeling, the gooseflesh on both forearms would have given her away for sure.

Catherine smirked at the wanton expression on Anne’s face and immediately thought of that oft quoted line that people said when someone looked at something with stars in their eyes: ‘Get you someone who looks at you…like Anne Lister looks at my cousin, Ann Walker.’  
She knew instinctively that her cousin probably had the same exact look on her face behind her and she decided to again help them out. “Oh good, you’re done, can you get the juices Anne brought, darling? They’re in the fridge. Ms. Lister, can you put Seamus down? I’ve put his food in his bowl.”

Both women obediently did what they were told and after Anne put the cat down, he immediately went to his food bowl and she went to the sink to wash her hands. She briefly thought of putting her head under the cold tap to cool herself off but knew that wouldn’t be practical. So, she just decided to think of other things as she gave her hands a thorough washing. When she was finished and drying her hands, she felt someone come up behind her and snake their arms around her waist, putting their head on her shoulder for a few moments, before lifting it again, kissing the same shoulder then resting her chin on it. She could hear a satisfied sigh and a proud smile broke out on her lips as she put her head to the side and rested it on the Ann’s head.

Anne loved to be a miscreant though and said, “ _Catherine_ , not so bold, Ann would be jealous. Surely!”

Catherine laughed out loud and Ann scoffed, trying to pull back from Anne who put her hand over the shorter woman’s hands that were locked over her waist, effectively stopping her from pulling back further.

“Uh uh, no…I’m not letting you go. Besides, I knew it was you.”

“Oh, sure you did,” Ann feigned disdain. “She and I are both the same height; how would you tell?”

Anne put the tea towel down on the counter and let go of Ann’s hands, she turned around quickly in the blonde’s arms and recaptured her by putting her arms around her, she smirked and said, “Because for one, I get some sort of jolt from your touch like none other I have felt for many a year,” she smiled as she felt Ann’s arms tighten around her waist and she continued, “For two, I have come to memorize your scent already, a light rosewater, clean, citrus scent that is the opposite of cloying and permeates my nose, more than sufficiently recharging my spirit…” She stopped Ann pulled her in for a brief, grateful kiss. 

Catherine, who was laying out the bagels with the cream cheese and a plate of fresh nova lox, pouted at the sweetness of those words from Anne and their lovingly soft kiss.

Anne continued, “And for ‘c’, which stands for ‘cold’, I’d know Miss ice blocks-for-hands anywhere.”

“Anne!” Catherine scolded and then laughed, though she thought to herself that Anne was right, because she first hand that her cousin had the coldest hands known to man.

Ann had been mesmerized as the older woman listed off all the reasons she could tell the blonde was behind her when she was at the sink, but when the ice blocks comment landed, she simultaneously tutted, scoffed and tried to pull back again, but again, Anne wouldn’t let her, instead she caught her hands in hers and brought each one up to her lips. Speaking to Ann lovingly, without lifting her mouth off of the back of the younger woman’s hand, “Why are these so cold, little one? Mm? We must warm them.” She said, as she rubbed each one to try to transfer her warmth over to them in some way.

Ann could feel the contrast of her cold hands and Anne’s impossibly soft and warm lips and then hands. She successfully managed to stop her eye lids from sliding shut, but she tried and failed to stifle a shiver from going through at the feeling of Anne’s hands on her.

Catherine looked over and pointed the knife at them that she was using to cut a few of the bagels, “Brunch is served ladies, let’s get a move on if we want to get to the train station in an hour.”

Anne cleared her throat and nodded at Ann with a sympathetic look, “Catherine’s right, we should eat something.”

“Umm,” Ann said, trying to form a coherent thought, “I uhh…”

“What? Oh, sure, tomorrow at two thirty, I’ll come pick you up at the school, then we’ll have brunch with my Aunt, unless you’re busy…” Anne mischievously answered her as if her incoherent utterings were a legitimate question.

That drew another laugh from Catherine who was shaking her head, if she couldn’t see it before, she knew right then in these few moments that her cousin and Anne were the perfect match for each other and that they would probably be married within a year.

She was already planning what to help Ann pick out for her maid of honor dress.

*****

Exactly an hour later, Catherine stood and waited with them out on the platform, for the train that would take them back to Halifax. Anne laughed at Ann’s suitcases.

“What?” Ann asked.

“Nothing.” She shrugged, suddenly finding a pebble near her shoe interesting.

“No, _really_ , what?” She narrowed her eyes at Anne.

“It’s just that…”

“Two suitcases and a toiletry bag, for one weekend?”

“Well…”

“Anne, you can never have enough of-”

Catherine interrupted with the truth, “Hats, gloves and shoes.”

“Exactly,” Ann said, sincerely and nodded at her cousin, smiling at the in joke from Patsy Stone from the TV show ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ and her description for the word ‘accessories’ it was one of the shows they watched together over and over, laughing like idiots and quoting them constantly.

“Oh, sure, I see.” Anne rolled her eyes and watched a train on the opposite platform pull up.

“Though, Catherine, I might have left a pair of knickers somewhere, only God knows, honestly. I know I had two clean pair left and then when I was trying to find them after my shower, I only found the one.”

Anne pretended to look down at something else interesting on the pavement and then checked her watch, looking down the track that it was supposed to be arriving on, trying not to look guilty.

“Do you think maybe Delia borrowed them? I mean, I wouldn’t put it past her. She hates doing her own laundry and I’ve started refusing to do it. I mean, I am not her mother, and this is not ‘Friends’ where they all love each other and do each other’s laundry.”

“’Friends’?” Anne asked.

“You’ve never watched “’Friends’”?!” Catherine was incredulous.

“Should I have?” Anne knew what ‘Friends _’_ was, she just suddenly got another urge to devil Catherine again, mostly because she didn’t want to be caught having to reveal she nicked Ann’s pants.

“Oh, it’s so funny! I love the Joey character…Annie do you remember?”

Ann’s brow was furrowed, “I remember, but I never did care for him much. I don’t think anyone is that dumb. Plus, his New York accent left a lot to be desired…”

“I don’t know, I thought it was excellent,” Catherine said, defending Joey, and then looked as though she was going to drop a hot bit of gossip, getting closer to both of them. “I think my Uncle Christopher might be called slightly dumb, maybe even very.”

“Why?” Ann asked, “What’s he up to now?”

“Well, I shouldn’t say, but Lydia tells me that she thinks he’s lost a lot of money on some kind of huge investment. Something about treating some form of ear cancer that you get from windmills…”

Both Ann and Anne pulled back slightly in shock but were skeptical about that information.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ann asked.

“I don’t know but it’s very odd. I mean, I haven’t heard anything so dumb in my entire life, yet he’s put his business on the line and she might have to find work elsewhere.”

“No!” Ann exclaimed, really shocked now.

“Is that why she really went back so soon?” Anne asked.

“One of the reasons, apparently. The other one being that her husband is indeed useless at changing diapers, like somehow women are born with the skill and own that responsibility.” She said, bitterly.

“That’s awful though, Catherine.” Anne said, genuinely sorry for his family, even though she never really got along with him. “He has what, _six_ kids now?”

She nodded, “About to be a seventh…”

Anne cocked her head to the side and mused, “Are you _absolutely_ sure your family is not secretly Catholic, Catherine?”

Catherine laughed and shook her head, “No, just as I said, _incredibly dumb_.”

Anne could gather that Catherine didn’t like her Uncle Christopher much either but didn’t do any prying as she normally would have. There was too much bad blood between her and Christopher for her to be comfortable with that conversation.

She looked down again and just listened as Ann and her cousin discussed what would happen if his company were in dire straits.

“Poor Lydia, with the new baby too…” Ann was sad for her friend. “I mean, I’ll help her out if it becomes necessary but…”

“I know, I hope he can right the ship, from what I understand he says he’s working on something. So, we’ll see,” Catherine looked curiously at Anne who was silent, “Speaking of losing money… _Ms. Lister_ …” And settled her mouth into a self-satisfied smirk.

Anne picked up her head and smiled at her, “Yes, _Ms. Rawson_? It’s true, you have lost fifty quid today…did you want to mail it to me? I can take a check, but do make it out to Ms. Anne Lister _Jr._ , that way it doesn’t accidentally get deposited into my Aunt’s account.”

Ann was looking back and forth between them with a puzzled look on her face, “What’s all this?” She asked.

Anne shrugged, her hands in her pockets and her manner haughty, “Catherine lost a bet to me today, over the crossword.”

Catherine narrowed her eyes at her and pointed, “I still haven’t been able to check that answer.”

“Go ahead, look it up…be my guest.” Anne said, with a self-assuredness that was start to make Catherine sweat.

“Forgot the clue…” Catherine she said and now was starting to get really nervous, she being a Rawson, hated losing.

Anne said, matter of factly, “British Prime Minister from 1956-1963. Nine letters, seventeen across.” She winked at Catherine, still not taking her hands out of her pockets.

Ann chuckled and knowing her cousin she didn’t want to look it up because she was a sore loser when it came to her crossword prowess, so she pulled out her phone and typed in the information.

“Who did you say, Catherine?”

“Churchill.” She said, nervously biting on her lower lip.

“And who did you say, Anne?”

“Harold MacMillan.”

Ann looked at her cousin with a pout on her mouth.

“Oh, Jesus…it _was_ nine letters and I was so sure it was Winston.”

Anne cocked her head to the side and looked at her knowingly, “I know, I know…but it isn’t _so_ …” She pulled her hand out and held it towards Catherine.

The lighter brunette huffed and reached into her bag pulling out her wallet.

Anne put her hands up and laughed, “Catherine, surely you don’t think I meant to take actual money from you?”

“Fair is fair, Anne…you won, we shook on it and everything.” She said, her manner showing she wouldn’t hear of welching on a bet.

“I tell you what, buy some new toys and treats for Seamus, maybe even a shirt.”

“Oh, no, Delia hates shirts on cats, she feels like they’re oppressive, or something…”

“All the better to devil her with then, isn’t it?”

Catherine’s eyes went wide and a smile grew on her lips, “Oh, you are clever, Anne. I’m going to go straight to the pet store and then when she’s back next week she’ll flip out!”

The train pulled up and they hugged Catherine goodbye and got their luggage situated then boarded the train with Seamus in his carrier. They both gave a final wave to Catherine from their seats and Ann blew her a kiss which she caught and put on her cheek.

*****

As they were well on their way out of London, Anne looked over at Ann’s profile and smiled. The younger woman was looking out the window, taking in all of the scenery and smiling. She had her feet propped up on the cat carrier and the brunette noticed she was wearing red leather strappy thong style sandals and it was making her heart flutter. Again she had to admit, she had never considered herself a foot person, but Ann’s feet definitely were intriguing her. To be honest, she shifted uncomfortably in her seat because anything of Ann’s right now was making her quite horny. She looked down at Ann’s arm and the gooseflesh was back again. Anne could tell she knew she was looking at her and finding what she saw very agreeable and it made her smile, she wondered if would be possible to maybe explore becoming members of the “Miles Long Club” that Harriet had mentioned.

No, she decided quickly, she wouldn’t do that to Ann, she had to reel in this teen boy horniness that she’d been harboring since finding out that Ann had loved her for many years. Even though she was being cautious as she could be, she still couldn’t help but want to touch Ann in some way. She started to put her hand on Ann’s forearm and pulled her hand back pulled her hand back at the last second. Her reasoning was because she didn’t want her to think that’s all she wanted out of the younger woman. It was definitely something that she needed from a relationship, but it was never the only thing and that’s why some of hers ended in a spectacular failure.

Ann had been watching Anne’s struggle out of the corner of her eye and wished she could help her out, but she wasn’t one to want to have sex in public or in a public toilet, especially. Still, her heart went out to the brunette woman, because she was feeling the same way, so she reached down and took Anne’s hand in her own, placing a kiss on the back of her palm.

Anne was touched. So many little kindnesses and acts of love she had already experienced from this woman she had really only known for a few days, despite them meeting almost fifteen years before and being civil to each other at gatherings back in Halifax. Anne put her other hand on Ann’s forearm and smoothed over the skin that was raised in desire.

The blonde woman turned towards her in her seat and smiled, biting her bottom lip and looking like she was deciding something. She looked at Anne’s lips and her tongue instinctively licked out at her own, moistening them. She saw Anne moving in towards her and the anticipation of feeling her mouth on hers made her breath catch in her throat, she still couldn’t believe this was real. When had she ever experienced such love, such desire, or anticipation of anything that felt as good as this felt to her right now? The answer was a resounding, never. Anne’s face was just in front of hers now and she hovered there, waiting for permission, she could see her eyebrow raise and she looked at her lips with her tongue peeking out to moisten her own just as she had done a few moments before. Ann had never done anything so brazen in public before and she felt a little trepidacious. It wasn’t even about it being another woman, she had never done anything like this period and even though there weren’t a lot of people around, she would still worry about looking too forward or too much like a harlot, like her father would say. She wished she hadn’t thought of that, as her stomach turned sour, her face must have changed, because Anne’s look changed from one of desire to one of confusion. She closed her eyes and tried to just think of good things. The picture of this morning on Anne’s knee popped into her head and it was more than sufficient enough to put her back in the mood to kiss the older woman.

Anne had seen the brief look of hurt on Ann’s face and wondered what she was thinking. She could see so many of her thoughts play out on her face and wished she could make all of the good ones come true and make all of the bad ones go away. When Ann opened her eyes again, the look of desire was back and she took no chances of it leaving again as she leaned in further and captured the younger woman’s lips with her own.

Ann snaked her arms around Anne’s neck until her hands were at the back of it and she pulled her in closer, making the brunette woman have to adjust slightly in her seat, but not enough to be uncomfortable or to stop kissing her. The hot, wet kiss was increasing in intensity and she wished there wasn’t an armrest in between each of them so that she could feel Anne’s body descend on hers as she lay back. The desire in her increased ten fold with that thought and she felt her vagina contract with two sharp pulses, a sob escaped her throat and just as she was going to pull Anne in closer (as if there could be such a thing) she heard someone’s throat clear and it wasn’t the brunette woman’s. They both stilled their movements and Anne’s mouth pulled away from hers, with her eyes still closed, she put her forehead on Ann’s and tried to get ahold of the desire coursing through her body. Ann’s hold on her neck loosened and they heard the throat clear again, before Anne pulled away, Ann’s grip tightened briefly, letting the older woman know that she didn’t want her to go, but then she let her arms fall away to rest her hands on her upper arms. Anne completely pulled away after nodding her head, letting Ann know she wasn’t alone in feeling like making this moment last for the rest of the train ride home.

They sat back in their respective seats with equally disappointed sighs and saw a young girl, standing on one of the seats in front of them, watching. Anne lifted her eyebrows in question and Ann sat back further into her seat and blushed furiously.

“Hi.” the girl, who could have been no more than ten or eleven, said.

“Hello,” Anne said, with as warm a smile as she could muster with the disappointment of having to stop kissing Ann, when it was almost at its pleasure peak, still invading her senses. Anne wanted to ask the child her name, to be polite, but also didn’t want to appear to invade her privacy. “How are you?”

“I’m well, thank you, and how are you?”

“I’m…I’ve…I’m well, too.”

“That’s good.”

“Yes, quite.” Anne was starting to be amused by this matter of fact exchange and now was curious as to where it might lead. She didn’t have to stay curious for long.

“Are you two married?”

Anne was slightly taken aback, but she was also feeling in a mischievous mood, so she decided to play a little. She heard Ann chuckle beside her and she wanted to put on a show for her, if the young girl was up to it.

“Yes.” Came her quick reply.

“How long?” The girl sounded like she was fact checking Anne’s information.

“Three years.” Anne lied without hesitation.

“What day?”

“21st.”

“What month?”

“December.”

The girl thought for a moment and nodded, then said, “The winter solstice.”

“Yes.” Anne said, and heard Ann’s incredulous chuckle at this exchange beside her. She could almost see her sitting there, with her mouth hung open and a pleasantly surprised look on her face.

Another pause from the girl and Anne got the impression that the questions were going to get harder.

“What year?”

“Uh…” Here, Anne hesitated for a moment and the girl knew she had her. Her eyebrow raised and a judgmental smirk on her lips.

“You were telling fibs…” The girl said, her voice still the same as it had been and her look non-judgmental.

Anne was impressed, the girl could question someone like a detective chief inspector, at the very least. It reminded her of the girl, based on herself, that she had created for her book series, that worked on solving cases around Halifax. 

“I was and you were very good at detecting that, well done.”

“Thank you…” She smiled and Anne could see a hint of a blush on her cheeks. The girl then brought a book over the back of the seat and showed it to Anne, it was one of hers and she smiled proudly and nodded. “I’ve just started this one, then I get to read the next and then your new one comes out.”

“Yes, it does, hopefully soon.”

“I thought it was going to be out next month?”

“Well…” Anne felt bad she would have to tell this girl that all was up in the air whilst they worked out the illustrating situation. She realized she and Ann hadn’t even talked about it much at all, besides telling her that they could talk about it on the train ride home or next week.

“Is it because of Ms. Hobart?”

Anne’s jaw dropped and her stomach clenched, she knew the information had come out, but she didn’t realize her young readers would have even paid attention to that. As it was, the adults barely paid it any mind, which was merciful.

“Well…” Was all Anne could think of to say. “It’s uhm…”

“Complicated?” The girl asked.

Anne again heard Ann chuckle beside her and she smiled and said, “Yes…quite.”

“Well, I hope you find someone to draw for you soon.”

She was about to say, ‘Me too.’ when she heard Ann speak up beside her.

“She should have someone very soon, don’t worry.” Ann said, with a smile and squeezed Anne’s arm in assurance.

“Okay, I won’t.” The girl said, dutifully. A thought occurred to her, “Can I tell my mums and my friends?”

Ann deferred to Anne on this, after all it wasn’t official and she didn’t want to step over the mark on any information about her business.

“Well, not your friends just yet, but you can tell your mum.”

“Mums.” The girl corrected and Anne gave another impressed smile.

“Mums.” She said, with a nod, then asked. “Are they with you today?”

The girl, feeling mischievous, said in a sarcastic tone, “No, I’m traveling from London to Halifax alone. What do you think?”

Ann burst out laughing and then had to put her hand over her mouth, to try to stop it, worried that Anne would be embarrassed that this youngster made her look foolish.

Anne was a little bit perturbed for about a split second because she was being thoroughly owned by this forty-year-old in a pre-teen’s body but then she too, had to laugh.

The girl laughed too and pointed towards the seat next to her. “One of my mums is with me now, she’s listening to music.”

Anne who was still amused nodded her head, as the girl was tapping on her mother’s shoulder.

“What?!” Her mother said, loudly, not angry, but because she was trying to be heard over the music that only she could hear. The girl rolled her eyes in a manner that Marian would have been jealous of and shook her head, looking at both women with an apologetic look on her face.

Though both instinctively knew they shouldn’t encourage this sort of behavior in a young person, but they couldn’t help but laugh at her animated face.

“Turn down the volume!” She said, so she could hear.

“What?” The woman said again, a little quieter but still above a normal speaking voice.

The girl made another cheeky face at her mother and pointed to her own ear then said, “Turn down the volume.” While also pantomiming someone turning down the knob on a sound system.

Her mother must have done so, because the girl said, “Thank you.” Drawn out sarcastically.

“Oh, the utter cheek on you…just you wait…who are you bothering now?” Her mother asked as she got up on one knee and looked back at the two women. When she recognized Anne she said, “Oh…it’s you…” with a reverence in her voice that had Anne shaking her head, slightly, in disbelief.

She was always confident in her writing ability, but she never was never arrogant about it, because she very well knew from the experiences of other people that had achieved some sort of level of professional success, that it could all be taken away in the blink of an eye and once gone, it would be very hard to achieve again.

“Hello,” Anne said, with a friendly smile and a nod. “I hope you don’t mind, we’ve been talking to your daughter. She’s a very perceptive girl.”

“Tell me abou’ it,” the woman said, in a heavy Yorkshire accent. “I’m sorry if she’s been…pryin’, she fancies herself to be a regular detective, this one.” She pointed to her with her thumb.

Both Anne and Ann chuckled, impressed, and smiled at the young girl.

Her mother held her hand out, with an expression that said that she had just remembered her manners, “Name’s Rachel…Hemingway…this one here is Jo Anna.”

Anne leaned forward and accepted her handshake, saying, “Nice to meet you Rachel,” then she extended her hand to Jo Anna who gratefully accepted the gesture. “I think you’ll be a brilliant detective and you should give me your address so I can send you a special copy of the new book once it’s finished. If you don’t mind me having your address that is…”

“Really?!” Both mother and daughter said in unison, their faces broke out in the biggest grins.

Anne nodded, “Yes, really. I rarely make a promise that I fail to keep.” She _was_ a little arrogant on that score. Over the years, she was always true to her word, though sometimes some thought her to be a rakish gadabout in love matters, she was actually very honest when she gave her word, especially to children.

Rachel looked over at Ann expectantly and Ann realized she was waiting for an introduction, not ready for it she hesitated for a moment and felt a stutter coming on.

Anne picked up on this and said, “Where are my manners, Rachel, Jo Anna, this is my…” She hesitated on the word that was in her mind because they hadn’t discussed it and she wasn’t sure Ann would want that word attributed to her yet, “… _friend_ , Ann Walker.”

“Nice to meet you finally, Miss Walker…” Rachel said and held out her hand for a shake which Ann accepted with a slightly confused look on her face.

“I’m-I’m sorry…?”

“I used to work for your father, may he rest in peace, and then…” She hesitated to bring up her brother, who was recently departed two years ago, “…John…before…may he also rest in peace.” She looked at Anne a little sorry for bringing it up and then said, “Sorry for sayin’.”

Ann nodded smiling sadly, “No need to be sorry, Rachel. Thank you and I’m glad we’ve met now.” She then held her hand out to Jo Anna. “Nice to meet you as well, Jo Anna.”

Jo Anna nodded and then looked at her mother.

“Mum do you think I can get Ms. Lister to sign my book?”

Anne spoke up before Rachel was able to answer.

“Of course, you can, let me find a pen…”

Jo Anna sprung into action, pulling out a Sharpie marker from her track suit jacket and handing it over along with her book.

Rachel explained, when she saw Anne’s surprised look, “She always has one just in case she bumps into you, you know, bein’ from Halifax and all. It was hard explainin’ to her that it’d probably be a one in a billion chance in meetin’ you anywhere, since you’re rarely at home and travel abroad quite frequently.”

Anne nodded at Rachel and opened the cover, “We’re going to be opening Shibden to tourists this summer and then at holidays, so you’ll probably see me around and about Halifax more often in the future.”

Ann beamed at that knowledge and Rachel caught the look and smiled at her, giving her a wink of congratulations. These two probably didn’t know it, but the local lesbian and gay scene in Halifax, Lightcliffe and Hipperholme had a bet going as to when these two might get together, since it was never a secret from anyone, except Anne apparently, that Ann Walker had the incredible hots for Anne Lister.

Anne finished her autograph and handed it back to Jo Anna with her marker. The young girl opened it and squealed delighted. “Mum! She’s called me ‘Jo Anna, her favorite detective’!” Jo Anna said and then hugged the words to her chest. “She’s also written something in code! Oh. My. God. Mum, catch me…” She said, dramatically, and finished with, “I’m going to faint!”

Anne and Ann both laughed with delight and the Ann leaned closer to her seat mate, slipping her arms through hers and cuddling her from the side.

“Well, thank you, now Ms. Lister,” Rachel said, sarcastically. “We’ll never be able to fit her head in t’ th’ ‘ouse again.” She said and shook her head nodding it to the side, towards her daughter and rolling her eyes slightly.

Anne put up her hands in mock surrender and shrugged, mouthing a sorry.

Rachel narrowed her eyes at her, “No, yer not, you knew what you were doin’ when you inscribed it.” She tutted and then smiled. “Okay, now, we’ll leave yis, alone. Hope to see you at the grand openin’ of the Hall, you two.” Rachel nodded, knowingly at both of them and then smiled.

Both Ann(e)s nodded and beamed sheepishly.

“Jo Anna,” Anne said after a beat or two as the girl was reading the inscription. “I meant what I said,” giving her a serious look, “… _anytime_ , okay? I’ll give your mum my contact information.”

“Thank you so much, Ms. Lister…can I…can I have…” She let her sentence trail off as she bit her lip.

“Yes?” Anne asked.

“A hug?”

Anne smiled and let out a chuckle, “Of course you can.” She added without any hesitation. She was never what you would call a ‘free-hugger’, but for children, her Aunt Anne and her lovers she made exceptions. Well, with _some_ of her lovers, the woman next to her staring at her with a new look of wonderment and awe, was probably the best example of them.

Ann let go of her arm and Anne stood up while Jo Anna handed her mother her book and marker and got out of her seat and went to the aisle and stood.

Anne opened her arms and the girl rushed into them, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” She said, more than grateful for the words that she put on the inscription and also because she allowed her to give her a hug. This was different to the manner of the very same girl that had grilled her earlier and it made her smile to know that she was growing up a well-adjusted kid, after her own heart. One who could also interrogate someone with the best of them, but one who could also have fun. “I would cry but mum would roll her eyes at me.” Anne laughed as she thought, ‘Well, at least a well-adjusted, _smart mouthed_ kid.’

As they all settled into their seats respectively, Ann pulled Anne over for a hug and put her hand on the side of her face, pulling her in for a scorching kiss. She was obviously proud, but also incredibly horny for her after she witnessed such a touching display with an obvious star struck fan. She noted that the older woman had handled it without being arrogant and condescending or looking bothered by it at all. It was too much to bear and she needed to pour out all of the feelings it brought her in a searing kiss.

As they pulled apart, Ann immediately settled her head onto Anne’s shoulder and sighed contentedly. Wondering if it would be too forward of her to ask Ann to come back to Lidgate with her tonight and _bonk_. The last word of her thoughts made her laugh to herself and Anne pulled away slightly looking curious.

“What’s funny?” She was slightly worried about her kiss being funny and not the passionate one she had thought it was.

“Oh, sometimes I just think funny things, dearest.” Ann mused and pulled the taller woman back in so she could rest her head on her shoulder again. 

Anne had to smile at that, especially the dearest nickname and she rested her head on Anne’s, feeling pretty lucky that Vere Hobart had kicked her to the curb and pulled out of her latest book. It would all be worked on soon, but Anne was sure that she and Ann would work together and hang all the talk about not wanting to work with someone she was also romantically involved with. Anne also wondered if Ann would hand draw the graphics for the billboards that the younger woman kiddingly had said she was to put up around town announcing Anne was taken and to send all correspondence regarding her love life to Ann’s house, Lidgate.

It was her turn to laugh now and Ann questioned her. She said, piously, “You’re not the only one allowed to think funny things, you know.”

Ann tutted and pulled her in closer, cuddling with delightful abandon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really, really appreciate all of you taking this journey with me and sticking with me through the tension and anxiousness this past week. I really felt all of you were right there with me and it helped a lot to know that! We can come up from the deep end now! If we want to that is, 'cause ngl, I like it...no, not going there. 😒 😐 That's a scandalous thing to say to you lovely, chaste people and I am sorry. Forgive moi. 🙏🏼
> 
> Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Wait.
> 
> Also, this last chapter blew up, apparently. I wonder why 🤷🏻♀️ and I have mucho feedback to give to all you lovelies, so I will be working on that in the next couple of days. Thanks again!!!! *SMOOSHHUGS!*
> 
> P.P.S. #bonk 😜


	11. She's Here! She's Arrived!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 🚂 🚃 🎶 The choo-choo train, is rolling on the tracks! 🎶 
> 
> Our ladies, who art heading to Shibden...🙏🏻 Well, at least one of them is heading to Shibden, the other is heading to a Thirsty Place from whence she doesn't even know what will hit her....you know? 🤔🤷🏻♀️ Enjoy!
> 
> TW: Testicles are mentioned. Just read! It's not that...tsk!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, have I mentioned this is a slow burn? I'm not trying to kill anyone with anticipation, but I have a plan in mind and it will be carried out as best I can do it, so stay with me! Please? 🥰
> 
> Also, I mentioned in the last chapter notes that work was getting really busy and hectic, yeah, well it just got 10x that, so I will be late on my postings by about a day or so. We'll see. Plus, I really do need to get to all your wonderful feedback, I see it and I really appreciate you for it. I will answer, I promise! 💞

Anne was writing in one of her smaller travel journals, her reading glasses firmly placed on the end of her nose when she felt Ann stirring.

“Ah, you’re back…did you have a nice kip?”

Ann sighed and stretched, “I’m sorry I fell asleep on you…I didn’t know I was so tired.” She yawned and stretched a little more. It was glorious. “How long was I asleep?”

Anne checked her watch, “Twenty-three minutes.”

Ann chuckled, “Could you be more precise? I need to know the seconds.”

“Twelve.” Anne said, not missing a beat.

Ann laughed and hugged back up to Ann, threading her arms through her right arm and squeezing.

Anne positively beamed at that, she didn’t even mind that it was stopping her writing progress. As Ann settled her head comfortably on Ann’s shoulder again, she placed a kiss on the top of it.

Ann looked down at what Anne was doing and she couldn’t help a smile from breaking out on her face when she saw that she was writing in her journal. “Is that the famous journal?” She asked, a little bit reverently.

Anne chuckled, “One of them, yes.”

“I pictured it bigger, like one of those huge books you’d see in an archive or museum.”

“Well, as a matter of fact, this is my travel journal. I can’t really take the bigger ones on my excursions, and I don’t really want to for fear of the luggage getting lost. This is just a stop gap so that I can then add the information to my actual journal.”

“Isn’t that a lot of double work?”

“Not really,” Anne gently shrugged, not wanting to bounce Ann’s head off her shoulder and possibly end the delicious feeling her closeness was bringing. “I don’t write as much in these books as I would in my actual journal. Just some things that I don’t want to forget.”

Ann looked skeptical at that. “I don’t think that’s possible.”

“What?”

“You? Anne Lister. Forgetting something? I mean…you remember everything.”

Anne was curious to know how Ann made that deduction and asked, “Do I?”

“Well,” Ann hesitated to bring this up for fear of making Anne feel bad, but she knew she loved to give a good ribbing, so she chanced it. “Almost everything.”

“Oh? Sounds like I forgot something having to do with you, am I right?”

Ann shrugged, “Maybe…”

“Okay, out with it, I don’t like having to extract things from people…except…well you know…”

Ann closed her eyes as the visual of what Anne was implying popped into her head, it was making her clitoris throb and twitch. ‘What’s become of me? I am _such_ a thirsty devil.’ Despite wanting to, she just couldn’t get the image of Anne’s head between her legs out of her mind. She wasn’t completely confident that she could bear the pleasure, and at first, she started to get down on herself, that Anne would soon find out what a fraud she was and soon, after taking what she wanted from Ann, she’d leave. It started to give her stomach pains and she hadn’t realized she let out an audibly sad sigh.

“Getting tired again?” Anne asked, putting another soft kiss on the top of her head.

The kindness of that act shot straight to her heart and the warmth of it spread out through her whole body, starting to pool again in between her legs. She felt like she might have a sex addiction or something. Well, at least an addiction to sex with Anne Lister, even though there hadn’t been much of it so far, what she did have, she was craving again.

Mustering up the courage she had left, she pushed all negative thoughts aside and asked, “Would you be…could you…” Ann stopped and shook her head. She couldn’t do it.

Anne furrowed her brow and kept looking at her diary. Was Ann really going to ask for her to have sex on this train? She could feel the desire increase steadily since Ann woke up, well, from even before then and wished she could do something about it, but she wouldn’t dare, not with her reputation almost in tatters right now and certainly not with Jo Anna and her mother in the seats ahead of them. There was always the loo, but again, she feared being found out and she worried about how a scandal on top of the small one that was going on right now with her illustrating partner, would look to her young fans. And to her Aunt Anne.

That thought had her closing her eyes, but not for the same reason Ann had closed hers. It was from the abject fear of being a disappointment to her Aunt. No, she reasoned for what seemed like the four hundredth time since she boarded this train, she’d have to tamp things down, “keep it in her pants” as she heard her American friends say so many times. At least while they were on the train, and maybe for at least the next day or so.

She realized Ann was still sitting there trying to ask something and she said, “Yes?” In a calm voice that belied her currently warring thoughts and feelings.

“W-well…I…I wanted to uhm…”

“ _Ann-”_ She said, a little more forceful than she had intended and immediately felt bad because she could feel Ann flinch beside her. Ann started to withdraw her arms and Anne said softly, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to do that, I was deep in thought and wasn’t thinking that it was going to come out that harsh sounding. I only meant to…” She sighed and closed her eyes, mentally slapping herself as Ann completely removed her arms from hers and sat back in her seat. “…I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry…i-it was…it was nothing and I shouldn’t have disturbed you. You’re busy.”

Anne’s shoulders suddenly felt tense and she desperately needed to loosen them. Her usually method would be to roll her head around her shoulders to get relief, but she was worried it would look like she was annoyed at Ann and not herself, so she just sat stiffly. She quickly played out a number of scenarios in her head that would have Ann feeling comfortable enough with her to cuddle back up, one that wasn’t forced or contrived. Not really being able to safely say which one would be best, she just sat for a few more moments.

Finally, she said, “My arm feels like something’s missing.”

“What?” Ann said, clearly sounding like she hadn’t been listening. She wasn’t even looking at her phone, just staring out the window of the train, watching the countryside roll by.

“I don’t know, it’s the darndest thing, I had this really warm arm just before, and a nice pleasant-smelling head on my shoulder and then all of a sudden, _nothing_. It’s cold and it’s suddenly like it’ll never be warm again.”

She heard Ann let a little chuckle out and she smiled at that. While it wasn’t quite the reaction she was looking for, at least Ann had reacted and it was positive.

Anne continued, “I guess if it keeps on like this, I’ll have to look into amputation.”

Ann gasped and then tutted and moved closer, snaking her arms back around Anne’s arm and said, “Don’t even _think_ of such a horrible thing…” She gripped Anne tighter and continued, “It’s my favorite arm in the whole world.” She said and sighed contentedly.

Anne was amused by that; she just couldn’t get over how loving and affectionate Ann could be. She thought back to the other night at the party, she was so painfully shy that she thought if she looked at her wrong she might have burst into tears and here it was just a short three days later and it was if she didn’t want to ever let go of Anne. That thought was making her wonder if maybe there wasn’t some truth to things like the red string of fate from East Asian mythology. Which was the belief that there is one person to whom we’re destined, tied together by our pinky fingers, by an invisible red string and no matter where our path takes us, at the end of it all, we meet that person. For years, Anne thought that person was Mariana, they always seemed to end up back to each other no matter what had happened or how long they were apart. But now, curiously she was wondering if that person was actually Ann Walker and how interesting that would be.

She was brought out of her musings about that by Ann rubbing the underside of her forearm, stroking the skin over her tattoo lightly with the pads of her fingertips. She felt a shiver go through her and she had to close her eyes, but she didn’t fight off the feeling, she wouldn’t even try, it was too good. She kissed the top of Ann’s head and heard her draw in a shaky breath. Pulling her by the hand off to the loo didn’t sound like a bad idea all of a sudden, but she again shook that idea out of her head.

Ann was also trying to devise ways to get them somewhere that they could go at each other like animals. She didn’t care how that sounded in her head, she was more than ready to have them get together and nothing was stopping her, except maybe herself and fear of rejection or rather, fear of not being adequate enough. It had always plagued her since childhood, being told by her father that she would never be as good as her older sister or as talented as her younger brother, he had made her feel like burden. Someone that wasn’t really needed and should have been discarded long ago. She closed her eyes tight and tried not to think of that anymore, it was making her anxious and nervous.

“Ann?” The brunette called her gently and put another kiss on the top of her head. “Ann?”

“Hm?” Ann didn’t look up at her.

“My darling…I love that you’re touching me, but I think you’re about to break the skin…”

Ann looked down and saw that instead of lightly rubbing Anne’s arm, she had dug her nails into the sensitive flesh.

“Sorry,” She said, and made ready to pull away but Anne had tightened her arm, not letting her pull back. It made her smile and she cuddled back in, though she would have to concentrate on something else other than the way that made her feel, or she would ask Anne to take her to the loo and shag the rest of the way back to Halifax.

“No need to be, just that I wondered if you were getting upset about anything?”

“No…not mad…” She looked down and saw Anne’s diary open. The page she had been working on was almost all written in code. “You’ve written about today?” She decided to try and change the subject.

“Mm.” Anne answered.

“That looks like something from another world. Did you learn that from the aliens?”

Anne smiled down at the top of her head and then placed another kiss on it.

“Something like that…”

The blonde woman went back to smoothing her fingers over Anne’s tattoo. She had seen it for the first time with Catherine, Anne had just come out of the tattoo parlor, for a touch up or something, she had said and showed them. Ann stared at it while Catherine asked her a million questions, but she wouldn’t tell them what it meant.

“What does it mean?” Ann asked.

“Hm?”

“Your tattoo…only…you never did tell Catherine and I what it meant.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Well…it’s…it wasn’t meant to be told to young teen girls on the streets of Halifax,” Anne said and chuckled.

“What about older twenty something woman on a train to Halifax?”

Anne laughed at that and leaned down to whisper in her ear. Ann picked her head up so that Anne could get right up to the shell.

“It means…that…‘I love and only love the fairer sex’.”

Ann’s heart beat harder in her chest, but she managed to say, “Lucky for me…”

Anne chuckled at that and sat back, they settled into their positions again, Ann’s head on her shoulder and hers on her head. She spoke quietly to the blonde, “Your code was a very good replica…almost exact.”  
Ann was puzzled, “Sorry?”

“The code you had drawn on your arm, it was a very good replica, though you had one letter wrong.”

“When was this?” Ann picked up her head to look at Anne who had a slightly bemused look on her face.

“The picture in Catherine’s family photo album. The one you agreed with me was Duckie from ‘Pretty in Pink’,” Anne smiled even deeper, at her. “You had, “I love and o _m_ ly love the fairer sex. Not ‘only’ the symbol was an m but should have been an n.”

Ann was going to try to lie again to get her to try to believe the other lie, but she decided it didn’t matter anymore.

“So, you knew, when you were making that lie up for us to run with?”

“Of course,” She nodded. “…pocket watch on a fob…tattoo of my code, hat, waistcoat, hair, _everything_. You were very bothered by it when you saw it and I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. I’m quite impressed with it and very flattered.”

Rather than feel uncomfortable, Ann felt touched that Anne had her back and gave her a way out of the awkward situation. In just the three days she had seen her so far, she realized that no one had ever had her back, besides maybe Catherine and John, like Anne had for her; it made her heart swell and she congratulated herself on her own judgement, in her choice of a mate.

“I thank you for that. I was just feeling completely mortified that you might think we were making fun of you.”

“I didn’t get that at all,” she leaned down to plant a soft, reassuring kiss on her head, “I figured if that were the case, you would have been wearing huge, joke sunglasses, and a clown tie…big floppy shoes.”

Ann laughed and bit her bottom lip, remembering that time fondly. She got a chance to dye her hair and dress like the woman she loved. There was no better time in her life up to that point. While all of her friends had decided they were going as those dumb zombie cheerleaders from that movie her brother had been obsessed with, she had told Catherine and her brother John, what she wanted to go as and they both sprung into action finding all the necessary things to make sure her outfit was perfect. John had even managed to track Anne down in Halifax one day and lie to her in order to snap a photo of her tattoo. He told her he was doing a paper for his art history class on the history of tattoos and asked if he could take a picture of hers as an illustration in his story. He had asked her all kinds of questions, that really didn’t need to be asked, but knowing his sister would be over the moon about the information gleaned from the older woman, he went back and reported them to Ann who cherished the details.

“John did the tattoo.”

“Hmm?” Anne asked, she had noticed Ann went quiet, so she had gone back to re-reading what she had written in her journal about their few days together so far.

“My brother, John, he helped me with the tattoo. Drew it on my arm with a permanent marker.”

A lightbulb went off in Anne’s head.

“That scamp…”

“What?”

“He approached me in downtown Halifax one day, had a camera around his neck and asked if he could take a picture of my new tattoo.”

Ann nodded, “I didn’t put him up to it, honestly. I had told him and Catherine what I wanted to be for Halloween and he just took it upon himself to do that. I didn’t even know about it, he came home one day with a picture of it and I nearly fainted.”

“Damn…”

Ann was a little worried now, they had plotted all this and she felt maybe that Anne had thought they were immature.

“Is that alright?”

“Oh, perfectly fine. No, I am very flattered you went to those lengths for thoroughness on the outfit. As I said, everything looked very, very good. In the interest of not wanting to appear vain and full of myself, I shouldn’t really say, but I will tell you this: I sort of fell in love with myself in that picture of you.” She laughed.

“You arrogant little…” Ann teased.

Anne chuckled and then sighed, “The real disappointment is that I always thought I was in some school essay that might have won an award for your brother and made him famous amongst his peers and well…now my hopes and dreams are dashed.”

Ann laughed and said a little sadly, “Well, my brother _was_ very famous amongst his peers and anyone who knew him really. He was the best of us…”

Anne nodded, she didn’t really want to bring the mood down, but she had always really liked and was thoroughly impressed with John Walker. At any of the parties or visits she was on where they were together, he always stopped to say hello and chat politely with her for a few minutes, usually with his shy sister in tow, hiding herself behind his arm. It was cute and now she realized that he was probably doing it to help his sister break out of her shell and not be so nervous around Anne. It started to break her heart and hot tears slowly stung her eyes. She pretended to have a cough and did so in the crook of her left arm to hide them and wiped her eyes without Ann being suspicious. It wasn’t that she was bothered by crying in front of one of her lovers, God knows she did it in front of Mariana and poor Vere enough. Vere especially, because she could feel her pulling away even when she kept telling her everything was fine. No, the fact was that she didn’t want to worry Ann that something was wrong, or to make her sad that she was crying because of the touching way her brother was with the younger woman. He was a good chap who was sweet with his sister and died too young, like her own brother, Sam. The tears welled up again in her eyes and again she pretended to have a cough. Ann pulled away a little and rubbed her back.

“I brought water,” she said, and leaned forward to open her knapsack. She pulled out a reusable container that said, “Sassy Lady” on it and handed it over. “It’s clean, I haven’t drunk from it yet.”

Anne had to laugh, both at the name on the bottle and the fact that Ann would be worried about giving her some kind of germs.

“I think it’s a little late for you to be worried about giving me your cooties, Ms. Sassy Lady.” Anne said, with a smug grin on her face.

Ann laughed, “That was Catherine’s funny joke. She had it printed on there.”

“Oh? Do tell…”

“Well, you know that I’m pretty shy and I don’t like to stand out in a crowd or am mortified when all eyes are on me…”

“Yes,” Anne nodded. “…in the few times that I’ve met you, I’d say that was a pretty accurate self-assessment.”

“Well…oh…now I’m getting embarrassed.”

The older woman shook her head, “You shouldn’t, Ann, it’s just me.”

“Exactly, it’s you…and this story kind of involves you so…”

Anne opened the top of the bottle and drank from it, finding that she was indeed thirsty and she had cursed herself for forgetting her own water bottle because now she was going to take more than she should from Ann. She stopped before she normally would have and handed Ann back the bottle.

As she swallowed the last of the water in her mouth she said, “Well, now you really must tell me because my imaginings are going to get the better of me and you’ll have me thinking all sorts-”

“Oh no! No, it’s nothing like that…” Ann sighed and bit the bullet again, “It was one day when we were at Stoney Royd,” she explained, “Being that Nelly is the oldest surviving grandmother, we pay court almost every weekend, when everyone’s down for part of their summer holidays or Christmas and things.”

“I’d say that’d be expected.”

“Well, yes of course, but I probably should’ve sat this one particular visit out.”

“Uh oh, what did Nelly bait you into?”

Ann sighed, “She’s sweet most of the time, really, but this one day when her daughter Ellen was there…”

Anne hung her head, she was sure she knew where this was going, but didn’t say anything.

“…Granny Nelly was feeling her waters apparently and she started ribbing Ellen…about you…”

Anne tried to play the innocent, “About _me_?”

“Yes…I think she was just trying to get a rise out of Ellen, you know, because she’s so pious now.”

“Oh Lord…”

“Yes, ‘Oh Lord’ is right.”

“What happened?” Anne couldn’t believe where this story was going.

“Well, Ellen got her back up about Delia because she had revealed the week before that she was practically living with Sophie…”

“Oh, Jesus Harry Christmas…” Anne said, now knowing _exactly_ where this was going.

“Yes,” Ann confirmed her suspicions. “So, Nelly was laying it all on the line to Ellen, saying no one cared or spoke a jot about when she had her fling with…”

Anne closed her eyes and nodded. Her lips pursed as if to keep her from saying anything that might sound like she was guilty. She wasn’t in a relationship with anyone when she had a few weeks dalliance with Ellen Rawson, but still, she felt bad because she was talked about at Stoney Royd. She long suspected she was a favorite topic at the Rawson matriarch’s house, but never really had her suspicions confirmed so directly by a family member before.

“It gets better…”

“Oh, no-”

“Oh, yes…should I not-”

Anne shook her head, “No, now I’m intrigued, like I’m watching an accident play out in front of me.”

Ann chuckled, then continued her story, “So, of course, her husband Amaziah left the room and Ellen got really mad at her mother and then her sister, Emma, tried to calm her down and then-”

“I think I might stop you there.” The older woman was really starting to panic.

Ann came to her defense, “I don’t judge you, just so you know. You were young, weren’t tied to anyone in particular and they got what they wanted from you.”

That was a pretty accurate assessment by one who obviously took note of the situation, Anne was again impressed by the younger woman’s maturity and palpable concern.

Ann continued, “But all I was going to say was…there was such chaos for a few moments and I don’t say this to brag on myself, but I couldn’t take it anymore. I stood up and told them that past occurrences, that had long been buried should stay there, if it was something recent then fine, prosecute it to the fullest, but Ms. Lister wasn’t here to defend herself and these women shouldn’t have to have it brought up again to make themselves feel better about themselves and if Delia wanted to be with Sophie that was her business, God didn’t care who she loved, only that she was a good and decent person,” Ann stopped, her brows knitted in thought, “Which come to think of it, she isn’t _really_ , but that’s more about the way she was raised than anything.”

Anne’s mouth hung open, she could just imagine the look on Old Nelly’s face and that of Ellen and Emma. Her eyebrows were up into almost her hairline and she cocked her head at the blonde woman who was looking like a mix of defiant but also a little bit worried that she might have been a bit too presumptuous in defending someone as strong as Anne Lister.

As Anne looked at her for a few moments more, her face broke into the biggest grin and she reached out for Ann, pulling her into the biggest, most grateful kiss. When it broke off Anne breathed out a thank you and it was the blonde’s turn to be amazed.

“For what?” She asked.

“I don’t think anyone has ever stood up for me like that, ever. Besides Sam…my brother…and when she’s in the mood, occasionally, Marian or of course my Father and Aunt. But no one _ever_ outside of the family.”

Ann was a little bit heart broken over that, but she well knew the feeling, there were only John and Catherine and maybe occasionally her mother and sister, that were in her court when she needed defending. Her mother only sometimes because if her father were the one to be doing the attacking, which, unfortunately, was most of the time, she didn’t dare go against him.

Anne saw the understanding on her face and closed the gap for another kiss, she spied movement in the seats ahead and peered over out of the side of her eye and smiled as she saw a long brown haired, head duck down after being caught looking.

Ann pulled back slightly and looked at her puzzled. The brunette woman took a few more kisses from her lips and whispered, “We had an audience.” Her voice was serious and she tilted her head towards the seats in front.

Ann’s eyebrows lifted and then she smiled as she saw Anne’s mouth break out into a wide grin. She realized that they were still in a public place and she needed to just stop all kissing and touching or she was really going to lose it.

“We need to find an occupation for our time for the next,” Anne looked at her watch. “Hour, twenty-seven minutes and,” She waited a moment before pointing precisely at her watch before finishing, “…forty-five seconds. What would you suggest?” She asked, as she looked back at Ann.

Ann chuckled at her time keeping performance and then thought, ‘I would strongly suggest pulling the emergency stop lever, getting out of this train and finding a room somewhere. A shack? Haystack?’ But instead she sighed wistfully and said, “I have my travel backgammon in my bag. Might that help?”

“Oh, yes, perfect! That’s _perfect_.” Anne rubbed her hands together and wiggled her eyebrows at Ann, explaining, “But I must warn you, Ms. Walker, I am the backgammon champion of the Lister family. I think we should work out a contract right here and now.”

“Oh?” Ann asked, innocently, while she rummaged through her big leather tote to find the game. “What would it outline?”

“Well, for instance, no sore losers. If you lose it’s not a personal thing against you, we shouldn’t mope or call the other person a cheater.”

“Fair enough…” She nodded as she took out the game and unzipped it’s cover, Anne had pulled out her tray table and situated it so it was between them and she laid it out on the surface, taking out the bag with the pieces in it. “Anything else?”

“I feel we should be playing for something, not monetary mind you, but well, maybe like one of us has to cook the other a meal of some kind? Hmm? What do you say, tomorrow…no, I don’t think I can make it then, Tuesday night?”

Ann thought and then nodded, “Yes, that’ll do.”

“And no cross words or bad language, I like you very much and I really want there to be many more days ahead for us, if you’re okay with that, so I don’t want to fall out over this.”

Ann wanted to smile from ear to ear from Anne’s declaration of wanting to be there for the long haul but she kept her face neutral and business like. “Sounds sound to me. Are we ready?”

“Do you need the loo? This might be a while,” Anne said, the picture of nothing but concern for Ann and this drubbing she was about to take at the hands of the older woman.

“No, I’m fine…well wait a moment,” she said and Anne made ready to move the tray and let her out of the aisle. She stopped when she saw Ann thread her fingers together and push her arms outwardly, cracking all the knuckles in both hands, her brow furrowed as Ann’s did and she watched the blonde woman twist each pinky at the tip, with a satisfied look as they cracked. She then reared her head back, rolling her neck on her shoulders and sighing as about a half a dozen little cracks sounded in the space around them. Finally, she looked left and then right and drew out two louder pops. Jo Anna, who had been watching through the gap between the seats looked at Anne with wide eyes and shook her head and looked at Anne as if to say, ‘You’re in for it.’ Anne gulped and looked back at Ann who had closed her eyes in silent prayer or meditation, for a few moments, then opened them again, looking remarkably refreshed, alert and ready to play. Despite the curious feeling of being a little less confident about her backgammon playing abilities, Anne gave her an amused smirk, “All done? Are you ready now?”

Ann nodded, “All done. Let’s roll.” She said, as she handed her the cup with the dice in it and let her roll first. Anne smiled a little cocky as she saw the number on the die that she rolled; it was a five. She had always been pretty lucky when it came to rolling dice. ‘Still got the magi-’ Her thoughts were interrupted as Ann rolled a six on her roll. Luck, that’s all it was.

Again, she looked over at Jo Anna, who’s eyes got wide again and the girl turned away, obviously not wanting to witness a blood bath today. Anne chuckled and shook her head, ready to beat Ms. Walker completely and totally. There really wasn’t a word for what she was about to do to Ann, annihilation was too soft a word for it. It would be brutal, but hopefully the ground rules she set would work.

*****

“No, I’m not rolling again, no!” Anne said, her voice raised.

“But dearest…you might _actually_ beat me this time.”

“No, why should I? I haven’t for the last five games, it’s getting ridiculous. You’ve got some kind of weighted dice or something, I refuse.”

“Ms. Lister, you can’t do that. It’s called being a bad sport.” Jo Anna, said, she was now standing up on her seat and had been resting her chin on the top of the back, watching her hero get thoroughly cut off at the knees by Ann. She turned around and sat down quietly in her seat.

“My love, there isn’t a thing such as weighted dice.” Ann said, wrinkling her nose at her.

“Oh no? Let’s get one of the casinos in Monte Carlo on the mobile, we’ll see about that.”

“In a travel backgammon game?” Rachel said, from between the gap in the seats.

Anne narrowed her eyes at her, “Or she’s bewitched them, I don’t know, _whatever_ I’m not playing.”

“Anne,” Ann said, trying to appeal to her by being gentle. “My dearest, you said you were going to thrash me…after the first game you said you were rusty and you were going to ‘trounce’ was the word you used, wasn’t it?”

Anne looked away, really annoyed but not trying to show it. She would have expected maybe being beaten twice, but _all_ of their games, that was unheard of, she had been trying to impress Ann and now she’d be a laughing stock of all of Halifax, Huddersfield, Hipperholme, and Lightcliffe.

Anne breathed out and said nonchalantly, “I was only joking…I’m surprised you would have risen to the bait…”

“Wasn’t it also you who said not to be a bad sport? Wasn’t that part of your guidelines?”

“I don’t remember,” Anne said, and crossed her arms in a defiant pose.

They heard a scoff from the seat ahead and Ann looked at Anne and shook her head. She had a small smile on her lips and her face showed that she was sympathetic to her plight.

“Jo Anna?” Anne called ahead of her in the seat. The young girl stood back up in her seat.

“Yes?”

The older brunette pointed her finger at her, “What you’ve just witnessed was a lesson.”

Ann gave a short, sharp laugh next to her, she couldn’t wait to hear what this lesson was about.

Anne nodded and looked over at the blonde woman, “Yes, it was. A lesson in what _not_ to do if you get completely and thoroughly beaten at backgammon.”

“Is that so?” Jo Anna asked, skeptically.

“Perfectly. So, don’t be an Anne Lister…be an Ann Walker…it will serve you much better in the future.”

Jo Anna smiled at her and then looked at Ann, “Can you teach me how you beat her?”

“I will,” Ann said and beamed. “You go to Lightcliffe Grammar don’t you?”

“Yes, I do...I’ll be in your class next term.”

“Wonderful, stop by my room, any time you’re free and we’ll play.”

“That would be great!” Jo Anna said.

“I’ll even teach you some of my greatest dice rolling techniques and the little wishes I make before rolling,” She lowered her voice, conspiratorially, “…that I won’t teach anyone else.” She said, tilting her head at Anne.

“Thank you!” The youngster exclaimed.

Anne was studying this exchange and with the biggest smile on her face. She was in awe of this woman who was seemingly so shy but was very easy with interacting with children. As Ann and Jo Anna were talking, she put away the game.

Rachel laughed through the seat gap, “Oh now you’ve gone and done it, you’ll be playin’ backgammon at every break, I’m sorry to say.”

“That’s fine with me…” Ann smiled.

“Oh, no, that’ll give her more practice! I forbid it!” Anne said, in mock indignation.

They all laughed and settled back into their respective seats.

The last half hour of the trip was uneventful. Unless you count the way Anne and Ann were practically glued to each other at the lips for the better part of the last fifteen minutes. They at first had settled into their previous position, before the backgammon trouncing, which had Ann hugged up to Anne while she was recording her recent thoughts. Small caresses and quick soft kisses had lead to more urgent, needy, wet and sloppy passionate kisses. They tried not to be too noisy about it, lest they scandalize poor Jo Anna and her mother, but they just couldn’t keep their hands off of each other. Both of them again were wondering separately if they could just pop off to the loo for a few minutes to take care of the sexual tension and urgency, but neither voiced it.

Anne started really thinking, besides all the scandal and possibly incurring Aunt Anne’s wrath, she didn’t want to have their first time be in some grimy, god-knows-what-happened-in-there, train toilet. No, she was going to do everything she could to keep it together, until they could devise a way to be alone, in a clean bed, where they could take their time as they pleased and be as noisy and as insatiable as they wanted. As she pulled back, she saw the hooded lids on Ann, and the absolute breathtaking look of desire on her face as she opened her eyes and Anne melted; though she wanted to lean back in and dominate her lips again, she instead gave her one more quick peck on them and sat back.

Ann again didn’t let her get far away from her and whispered in her ear, “Take me home tonight…please…”

Anne closed her eyes and cursed the day she and anyone else in her Lister lineage were born. If they hadn’t been then she wouldn’t be feeling the absolute sheer torture of having to turn this angel of a woman down, for what she knew would be an absolutely wild and passionate night together.

After she allowed a few more moments of sheer desire, coupled with waves of hurt for what she was about to do next, course through her, she sighed shakily. Before she had a chance to stop her, Ann pulled away and sat back in her seat again.

“You can’t,” the younger woman said with a nod. “I understand.”

With her eyes still closed, she started to respond and stopped, she didn’t trust her voice not to reveal the tears that were threatening to bubble up into her eyes. The rollercoaster of emotions that she and Ann were going through in such a short amount of time quite literally astounded her. But she had to get a hold of it all, and not make a fool of herself or push Ann to wanting to just let her go. That last thought she knew wasn’t possible, not from all she’d seen and been told in the last three days about how much Ann cared for her, but that was one of the reasons she was so frightened. This relationship seemed destined for what she was always longing for, someone to love her as much as she loved them and to lead to marriage, eventually. If she had it and then it was snatched away from her, she didn’t know what she would do.

Finally, after a few more calming breaths, if they could be called calming, she spoke, “I promised my Aunt I would be back with her tonight and we’d go over the plans for reopening, she’s been…rather sick with worry about it and I want to put her mind at ease. Besides…she…she warned me…”

Ann furrowed her brow and asked, “About what?”

“Well, she holds you in the highest esteem, naturally, and she…” Anne stopped again, unsure if she should reveal this to Ann for fear of her holding a grudge against her dear Aunt, but she wanted to tell her the truth, “…she told me she wouldn’t speak to me ever again if I hurt you and I feel if I ran off to be with you tonight, blowing her off, she would feel that I was up to my old tricks and she’d worry and that just won’t do for me…”

Ann’s heart broke for Anne and for herself, she knew Anne was right, they should have more restraint, take it slow and really fully consider all the implications of being together, but the ache in her body was getting too much to bear and she surmised that if she had testicles right now, they would be blue. That thought made her chuckle and she quickly apologized for how that must have sounded. The mortification of that helped her tamp down her feelings and she was about to put her head back on Anne’s shoulder when she stopped herself.

“You’re Aunt is right, not that I think you’d hurt me…but we _should_ take it a bit slower. We’re adults and we can act like it…”

Anne turned slightly in her seat and looked at her, with a smirk, she leaned in closer, and whispered, “ _Or_ we ditch Lydia at the station, grab a room and ‘work it out amongst ourselves’ all night.”

It was Ann’s turn to close her eyes, that visual was giving her waves of warm delicious feelings that were blooming from her heart, and traveling rapidly to her stomach and east, west and south, most definitely south, but she promised her she would keep them in check. She grunted what was supposed to be a chuckle and took some deep breaths of her own.

Anne heard this and stood up, she had to go be elsewhere right now. She couldn’t take it and could think of only one place she could be alone. The loo.

“I’ll be right back. Make sure Seamus’ door is locked, don’t want to have him run out chasing after a pigeon, Delia would have our guts for garters.”

Ann watched her leave and contemplated following her for about a minute after she left, but realized they were pulling into the station and she did as she was told, making sure Seamus’ cage was fastened securely.

*****

Lydia was the first to spot them and was about to call them over when Delia squealed and ran up to Anne who was carrying Seamus’ carrier.

“Here he is! Sophie! My boy is back!” Delia shouted as she jumped up and down, then got on her knees to undo the latch on his carrier, while Anne was still holding it. She pulled him out and gave him kisses to his face. Next, she showed him to Sophie and had her give him kisses as well.

Lydia looked sympathetically at Anne who still stood there holding Ann’s second bag, her own and the cat’s now empty carrier. She moved to take it but Sophie saw it and rushed over. “Sorry, Ms. Lister.” She said, taking it from her. “Here, let me get one of those other bags.”

“No, no need, Sophie, thank you. If I have only one bag in my hand, it throws off my balance, this is fine.”

“How was the trip back?” Lydia asked, taking Ann’s toiletry/make up carrier from her.

“It was enjoyable,” Anne said, “We met…” She stopped and shouted suddenly, “Cordingley!” She had spotted someone she knew; clearly there waiting for someone to arrive.

Elizabeth Cordingley raised her hand in a wave and nodded at the other women, giving a big smile, “Anne Lister, is that you?”

“Yes, how are you?!” She stopped, put down her cases and accepted the open armed hug the other woman was offering. “Oh, my word, it’s been an age!”

“I know!” Elizabeth said, “It’s funny though, I heard you were coming back, from your aunt.”

They parted and Anne nodded at her knowingly, “From my Aunt…of course…”

“Who else? She couldn’t stop talking of anything else.”

“What brings you here?” Anne saw that Cordingley was looking at the others, a little uncomfortable because she hadn’t greeted them yet and didn’t want to look rude. “Where _are_ my manners today?”

“Elizabeth Cordingley, this is Ann Walker…”

“Yes, I know Ms. Walker, and hello Ms. Wilkinson…Ms. Rawson…” She stopped at Sophie, not recognizing her.

“Well, then you all know each other, but not Ms. Sophie…” Anne realized suddenly she didn’t remember her last name, which was odd because she was usually good with remembering names.

Sophie gave her a cheeky grin and waited for her to work it out. Finally, the Danish woman said, “ _Rundle_.” And held out her hand for a shake.

Delia scoffed, “If only,” she eyerolled and then said to Ann, “But honestly, she does _wish_ she was her girlfriend has a complete and total crush on her. For me…it would be quite weird…” She finished with her eyes going wide, alluding to the obvious fact, to everyone besides her cousin that was, that Ann did closely resemble the actor who played Ada Shelby, from Peaky Blinders.

“Who wouldn’t?” Sophie said, with a shrug and looked like that was an absurd thing to say.

Cordingley laughed and nodded, accepting the handshake.

“Forgive me, Elizabeth, this jokester is Ms. Sophie _Ferrall_. Delia Rawson’s…” Anne stopped because she was going to say, ‘problem’ but decided against it, she really didn’t want to keep stoking this obvious fun-for-Sophie game of one upmanship or taunting, that they had been steadily increasing since meeting at the party. Delia’s little revelation just now had her understanding what Sophie’s motivation for it all was. She wouldn’t call attention to it just yet, but if she stored that in a separate compartment. She would be civil and even a good friend to her. But she promised herself, if Sophie caused a problem between her and Ann, the younger girl wouldn’t need any airplane ticket to go back to Denmark, Anne would boot her right in the backside all the way to Copenhagen herself.

“ _Girlfriend_ ,” Sophie smirked at Anne and smiled warmly at Cordingley.

Anne had enough and moved the conversation forward, “Who are you waiting for?” She asked Elizabeth.

“My…girlfriend as well…well my fiancée and her…soon to be _our_ , daughter.”

“Oh, I didn’t know Caroline had a child?”

Cordingley looked a little sadly at that, “No, no, we…that was over about five years ago now.” She looked behind Anne and waved, “There they are…of course, had to stop for a smoothie they did,” She rolled her eyes in their direction. Anne turned around and noticed it was Jo Anna and Rachel.  
“What a small world!”

“Hiya again,” Rachel said, a little sheepishly that now Anne would know she hadn’t told her that her fiancée knew her. Anne looked at her a little puzzled.

Jo Anna skipped over to Cordingley. “Lizzie, we met Ms. Lister on the train and look! She signed my book.” She pulled the book out of her rucksack for her to see.

Elizabeth looked impressed and said, “Well, isn’t that just lovely, did you thank her?”

Jo Anna narrowed her eyes at Elizabeth and said, “What do you think?”

“Ooh, the cheek on her…” Rachel chimed in.

“She’s definitely yours,” Elizabeth said, with a sly grin, then pulled her into a hug and they kissed.

Anne was stunned, she knew Cordingley was a lesbian, that wasn’t the issue, but she had been in a very committed relationship with Caroline Greenwood who Anne had tried to pursue at one point but she only had eyes for Cordingley. Well, except that one night in a barn, when Caroline and Elizabeth had broken up for a while. That particular memory Anne had often thought of to keep her warm on a cold night when she wasn’t with anyone. All of that aside though, this news about them breaking up, made her realize that she had been away from Halifax too long and even though her tastes had become more sophisticated, she would endeavor to make it more of her home base now. The prospect of getting to know Ann from less than thirty-five hundred metres away. A short twenty-five minutes down the road from Shiben, if she wanted to walk it. This was going to be fun and if she could manage it, have a proper courtship experience, instead of always feeling you were endlessly chasing after someone and constantly spinning your wheels, getting nowhere.

Cordingley looked at Anne, “Did you need a lift back to Shibden? We’re actually on our way to your Aunt’s, Rachel was down in London and picked up something she had asked for her to keep an eye out.”

Anne could see Ann’s head snap up at that and her first instinct was to turn Cordingley down, but it would look really weird for her not to accept it, after all, they were going to the same place, Lydia’s car would be packed to the gills and it just wouldn’t make much sense. _Although_ , sitting in the car with Ann on her lap in the back seat was making her rethink her decision to accept the ride.

And then again, if she did have Ann on her lap for the ride to Shibden, she and Ann might be able to show Sophie and Delia a thing or two.

So, her decision was made.

Looking at Ann again, then back at Cordingley she asked, “Can you give me a moment? I’ll be right with you.” She reached out, took Ann by the hand and pulled her off to the side.

Everyone looked around, smiling at each other politely and tried to make small talk while they waited.

Anne looked at the blonde woman with sad eyes, but tried to smile, “I think maybe it’s best if I take this ride with Elizabeth and Rachel.” She tilted her head to the side and pouted, hoping she’d see her point.

Ann nodded, smiling a little sadly herself and said, “No, I completely understand, I mean, you’re both going to the same place, why wouldn’t you take the ride? Plus, you can catch up with your friend.”

Anne was relieved and said, “That’s exactly what I was thinking, though, I really would have loved to be in that car with you on-”

Ann stopped her, “Please don’t finish that sentence, it’s going to be hard enough to sleep tonight with…you know…”

“Yes, I do know, all too well.” Anne bit the side of her cheek and then took her other hand in hers, standing in front of her more fully and asked, “You sure you’re okay with this?”

“Perfectly, my love. I’ll just take five cold showers from now until I become an Anncicle.”

Anne hung her head and cursed herself for her dirty mind.

Ann said, a little worried, “Anne? What is it? Are you alright?”

“I was going to say…” ‘I could suck on that all day.’

Ann nodded her head knowingly, “Something dirty…” She chuckled, she knew, because she thought of the same thing as soon as she said it.

“Yes.” The brunette woman said, sheepishly.

Ann’s mouth broke into a huge grin and she pulled Anne in for a chaste kiss on the cheek. It was all she would allow herself or she really would have those blue balls.

Anne pulled her tight for a few more beats and said sincerely, “I promise, _soon_ , my darling.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” she whispered back. Then as they broke their embrace, “Tomorrow, I thought you said you would pick me up for brunch?”

“Well, I _had_ said, Tuesday, but I think I can shift some things around…it’s getting hard to…” ‘Walk’ she thought. “I’ll pick you up at the school, is that okay?”

“Wonderful.”

“Where do you want to go?” Anne asked.

“Oh, no…we’re going back to yours, you owe me a home cooked meal.”

“What?” Anne was puzzled at that statement and then it dawned on her. “Ah…”

“Yes, ‘to the victor go the spoils’, as they say…”

Anne couldn’t help it, this was too good, Ann didn’t realize how cleverly she just set up the best lascivious punchline for her. Stepping up even closer to her she smiled and nodded, “Mm…,” Her smile grew positively lecherous and she bent down to Ann’s ear, “D’you know…the Senator from New York, William Learned Marcy finished that quote with, ‘…In a war or other contest, the winner gets the _booty_.’ Anne reached down and discreetly caressed Ann’s backside with her right hand.

Ann leaned in, “You’re going to pay for that.”

“I’m hoping so,” Anne said, pulling back and smiling at her like the rake she was.

After a few moments of laughter, they said their final goodbyes with another chaste kiss and then had to part or else they really would have run away together.

*****

“How was the trip back, really?” Lydia asked Ann when they were on the way to drop her off at Lidgate.

Ann sighed wistfully, “It was beyond pleasant, we met Rachel and her daughter Jo Anna and then we talked some and…”

“Did you shag in the loo?” Sophie asked, leaning forward through the bucket seats.

“Sophie!” Delia said, and swiped at her shirt to try to pull her back.

Ann moved closer to the door, away from the Danish woman and looked out of the window, annoyed at the question.

“What…?” Sophie asked, innocently. “I thought this was what the planning for the party and all of that was for, was it not? I’m sorry.” She said, sincerely, she did have sort of a crush on Ann and didn’t want to make her upset.

“Sorry Annie,” Delia said, reaching through the seat and rubbing her cousin’s arm. “She thinks she’s funny and clever, like your Anne, but she rarely hits the mark.”

That hit Sophie wrong, “Oh, I do, do I?” She asked and watched as Delia sat back. The younger Rawson woman had a judgmental look in her eyes. Sophie smirked and stuck the tip of her tongue out, moistening her lips, “You didn’t mind yesterday morning…when I _hit_ the mark.” Both Delia and Lydia scoffed. Ann just blocked it all out.

“You two just be quite back there, _Jesus_ …they’re worse than we were.”

Ann looked over at Lydia, “Oh no, there was no one worse than we were, Lyd. Well, you and Catherine more like.”

Lydia laughed, “You’re right, you’re so right. So…”

Ann looked at her and shrugged her shoulders, then nodded her head towards the back of the car.

Lydia just nodded understandingly. “I’ll ring you later.”

“Mmm.” Ann agreed.

Delia just gave Sophie dirty looks the whole way to drop Ann off at her house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #blueballs Is there a female equivalent? Blue ovaries? hmmm. Must research!


	12. Shabby Little Shibden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne and her Aunt have a heart to heart and Jeremy talks about his heart. It's also payoff collection day, in more ways than one. You know what I'm sezzin'? We also see Ann at work and Anne...werkin' it. 😋

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is later than I had intended. As I mentioned, work was incredibly busy and I wrote this seriously long chapter essentially in about two days. I might have to scale my 3 a week postings back to 2 or even just 1 a week, especially as I have to really flesh out where the story is going. Have no fear, dear reader, in the words of my bae, Catherine Rawson, "I won't forsake you..." Kissy? 😙😗 Still no? 😑
> 
> I need to thank two people who have really helped me keep focused by giving me a kick in the trousers: Ms. A- and Ms. SWMNBN- 😉 Seriously, you have helped me more than you will ever know and I thank you from the bottom of my cold, dead heart. ♥ (ooh, I'm all goth!) 💓💗

As Anne said her goodbyes to Elizabeth, Rachel and Jo Anna, she spied movement out of the corner of her eye, something was coming at her; it was Argus, he was trotting out ahead of her Aunt who she could tell, was excited to see her. Aunt Anne rushed right up and side hugged her, then gave her a big, noisy kiss on the cheek.

Anne grinned like an idiot, she never understood why she left Shibden, once she was back in the warm embrace of her Aunt. It was a puzzling experience for her.

“She’s here! My girl is here! Finally!” Aunt Anne said, and kissed her cheek again. “Jeremy!” She called to her brother who was making his way out through the hall, making pretty quick time despite having to use his cane. “Come see your girl!”

Anne smiled a little embarrassed as her Aunt continued to gush over her in front of the two women and Jo Anna. But she really did love the way her Aunt was always so happy to see her and not ashamed or too ‘stiff upper lip’ to show it. In that moment, she understood why she and Ann Walker had become friends, they were two peas in a pod really. She could totally picture Ann being like this with her, when she wasn’t trying to restrain herself thinking Anne would be turned off by the joyously, unbridled behavior. It made her smile.

“Captain,” Anne greeted her father, with a head nod. Her Aunt released her and gave her a gentle push to go and kiss her father on the cheek. “How’ve you been?”

“If I told you I was fine, I’d be lying, so I’ll just smile and nod and say, ‘not bad’,” Jeremy smiled at his daughter.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, concerned.

“Oh, you know, the old war wound, it’s giving me a spot of bother.” He pointed in the direction of his knee but he also pointed up higher, which really alarmed her.

Aunt Anne’s face looked a little sad and she said, “They told him he’ll need surgery if it keeps flaring up.”

Anne looked worriedly back at her father who shrugged.

“We’ll see what we can see.”

It was so him and though they were usually stoic around each other, especially for her Aunt’s sake, she leaned back in for another kiss to his cheek, this one with a little more feeling into it. He pulled her ever so harder to him, but then when it ended, looked at the other women and Jo Anna who were watching this touching display and said, “My daughter, she may not be around much, but she loves me.”

Aunt Anne gasped and said, “Oh, my heart!”

They both pulled apart fully and looked at her concerned.

“Because of what he said, I’m not having a heart attack.” Aunt Anne said, quickly.

Jeremy tutted at her, “Silly girl, don’t you know when you get over fifty you can’t say things like that?”

His sister swatted at his arm and then kissed his cheek as well, “You daft, old boobie.”

Everyone laughed and then they said their goodbyes to Elizabeth, Rachel and Jo Anna, with promises to have them over, for their own walking tour of the house and grounds, before Shiben was opened to the public.

Less than an hour later, Anne was in her bedroom trying to sort out her things. She pulled out her travel journal from her rucksack and set it aside on her bed to put in her study, as she did that, it flipped itself open to the page she had been working on after Ann fell asleep on her shoulder. She held it out a little, without her glasses it was a little blurry and started to read. A smile popped up on her face, and a tinge of a blush bloomed on her cheeks. She closed the book quickly and cleared her throat when she heard a soft knock at the door.

“Come in.” She said, putting the journal back on her bed and continuing to sort out the contents of her suitcase for washing or putting away.

The door opened gingerly and her Aunt came into view. Anne beamed at her and said, “Just sorting things here, Aunt, I won’t be too long.”

Her Aunt closed the door behind her and said, “No bother, I know you’re going to want to do some writing in your journal so I won’t take up much of your time,” She said, and sat in the chair by the door. “I just wanted to…apologise…for what I said yesterday…well… _how_ I said it.”

“No need, Aunt,” Ann said sincerely, “I understand why you said it and I _have_ been taking your advice.” ‘To somewhat of extent anyway.’ Anne said to herself.

Her Aunt smiled a little sadly at her for that and waited a moment or two before speaking again, “I know I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating…”

Anne sighed thinking it was going to be about how much of a disaster she was a relationships and at how much she would kill her if she hurt Ann Walker.

“I love you so much, Anne. Sometimes too much…”

“Aunt-” Anne started to say but was cut off.

“No, let me finish, I need to tell you this and then we truly will not have to litigate this again. Agreed?”

Anne nodded and sat on her bed, “Agreed.”

Aunt Anne looked at her seriously and tried to lighten the mood with a small smile, “We’re not getting any younger, Annie, I know you hate that nickname, but humour an old lady a little…” She winked. “This thing with your father has made me realise that life isn’t going to go on forever and aside from the fact that Ann Walker and I have become friendly, I just want to see you happy and settled.”

Anne also smiled sadly back at her, “I know, I want that too.”

“Maybe see some grand-nieces and nephews?”

Anne looked up into her eyes and her own went wide, “Ah…” She looked up at the ceiling and smiled a slightly goofy smile, “We’ve only really known each other for about three days Aunt, we’ve barely kissed…”

“Don’t go getting too worried, I didn’t mean this year, or even next. I’m just letting you know where I stand on that.”

“Duly noted.” Anne nodded.

“I think you’re finally on the right path here, with Ann Walker and I don’t want to see you fall back into your old ways.”

Anne wanted to ask her what that exactly meant, but she had an idea, so she just said, “I know.”

“Oh, you do, do you?”

“I do.”

“What do you know?”

“You don’t want me to pursue this and then go back with Mariana…”

Her Aunt again, cut her off, “Well, Miss Know-All, what you _don’t_ know is that for the past year, I have been telling you that you’re doing it all wrong, you haven’t been going for the right people but you wouldn’t listen.”

“I know.”

Aunt Anne looked at her and narrowed her eyes, “Say ‘I know’ one more time…”

Anne chuckled at that, it was a running joke from a movie that they had seen together and she loved that her Aunt still used the phrase. She nodded her head and mimed zipping her lips.

Her aunt continued, “In my own life, I’ve had many chances to be with someone…well, let’s just say a few…and I never took them because I could play them out in my head and they all didn’t end well…”

Anne looked at her skeptically and then felt her heart break for her aunt.

Aunt Anne nodded and said, “I understand that you need to pursue what your heart wants, but I want you to make sure that _this one_ , is what you really want, because she’s special and you’re special…and I fear if it doesn’t work out for _whatever_ reason…”

A flood of emotion washed over Anne about what her Aunt just said and it surprised her. Here it was very early in their relationship, too early to really call it a relationship in fact…and yet, she knew. This one was somehow more intense than any of her others, very quickly.

She wanted very badly to say ‘I know’ again, but she held it inside, biting the inside of her lip, which was also effectively stopping any tears from escaping her eyes.

Her Aunt could see her restraint and smiled, continuing, “…I might lose you.”

That shocked the younger woman, “Aunt, how can you say that? How will you lose me? I’ll never leave you like that…I would never take-”

“No, no, no…not like that,” Her aunt shivered at the thought, “No…I didn’t mean that, I meant…you might go off and live in New York or Virginia near your cousins. Or hide yourself away in the Urals.”

Anne laughed at that, she often talked about running off to Russia to hide herself away in a shack in the Ural Mountains when she was at her most stressed, but it was never a real threat.

She sighed again and gave a look to her Aunt to say she would like to start talking.

Aunt Anne nodded, “I’ve said my bit. You can talk now.”

“Thank you,” Anne smiled at her, got up off the bed and kneeled at her feet. Her face took on a more serious look, “That’s all. That’s the sentence. Just: ‘Thank you’.”

“For?”

“For telling me what I needed to hear and not what I _wanted_ to hear,” She took her Aunt’s hand and kissed it. “I’m sorry for all the worry I’ve caused you over the years…I don’t know why it was, but I took a lot of things for granted and I think…maybe, it was what happened with Eliza Raine that made me think I should be punished and undeserving of a relationship that was...deserved.” She furrowed her brow, realizing that was exactly why she was in these relationships that never worked out.

Her Aunt’s face took on a sad look and Anne kissed her hand again; she didn’t want her Aunt to ever be sad.

“You shouldn’t think or feel that way, Annie, you don’t deserve that.” The older woman said, bending forward and kissing her forehead.

“Why not though? If I had stayed…”

Aunt Anne pulled back slightly and looked sincerely into her eyes, “You wouldn’t have been able to do anything and you would have made yourself sick trying.”

Anne hung her head as she felt the hot tears rise to her eyes and sting them. Her Aunt put her hand on the top of the younger woman’s head and said words to soothe her pain.

When Anne spoke again, the tears were evident in her voice and it told her Aunt she wasn’t done beating herself up about it, “You’re telling me what I want to hear again.”

Aunt Anne was a little shocked by that, but she realized it was probably partly true. Anne had callously decided to leave Eliza when she was going through her troubles, but others were also in that decision making so she knew it wasn’t really all of Anne’s doing. She for one remembered, after a particularly tearful talk with Anne, that she had advised her to pull back from the relationship, even if it was just for a little while, to allow the doctors to help and not agitate the young woman further. Every time Anne had gone to visit her when she was taken to the hospital, she would get violent by the end of it and Anne would always come home a complete and total wreck; sometimes physically bruised.

Obviously, the only thing to do was to pull back there, but she hadn’t known that Anne had met Mariana by then and that was partly why Eliza was as mad as she was at her.

She looked at her niece and sighed, “I think you’re right there…maybe just a little. But I also think you’re being too harsh on yourself. It’s been almost fifteen years, even with the best medical care money… _your_ money can buy, I might add, she’s still not recovered. I don’t think you could have done anything, my love.”

Aunt Anne’s words were washing over her, helping to soothe her, but she knew it would never be quite healed. The knowledge that she had cheated on Eliza, when they were going through their problems due to the woman’s unbridled jealousy and first signs of unchecked mental illness, was still a deep wound that she didn’t ever think would be completely gone. It’s one of the reasons she visited her every month in the hospital and sat, taking both her verbal and physical abuse until the orderlies would come and restrain Eliza, who would be sweet and contrite, always asking for her to come back. Anne never could say no and after giving her a melancholic kiss on the cheek, whispered that she would never forsake her.

And thus, the cycle would continue.

Letting the tears fall, Anne leaned forward and rested her head on her Aunt’s legs weeping openly, she stayed that way for many minutes as all of the feelings that she had long held stored away in a compartment she never emptied were loosened. As Anne’s tears waned and then subsided altogether, her Aunt stroked her hair and whispered more loving words to her. Finally, the younger woman pulled back and sat on her haunches, looking down at the floor.

“You don’t have to do that to yourself, you know…”

“I know…”

Aunt Anne let out a little chuckle, that ‘I know’ was the last straw.

“You know all, yet you don’t take all that knowledge and put it to good use.”

Anne hung her head even lower.

“Anne, look at me…”

Her niece tilted her head to the side, still not wanting to face her Aunt’s disappointment.

“ _Anne_ ,” the older woman said, a little louder and looked into her teary eyes when she had turned her head to look more fully at her, “I’m not just saying this because I love you and I want you to hear only good things. I think I’ve told you I am not going to be doing that anymore, haven’t I?”

Anne nodded her head.

“Good, I’m glad you listened. Now, you know, the doctors have said that you couldn’t have done anything, Eliza would be that way whether you were there or not and in fact, if you hadn’t been there she might have taken her own life.”

Anne hung her head again, the tears springing back to fill her eyes quickly.

“I don’t say that to upset you again, I say it to remind you that there is no blame to be had here, Anne. You’d like to think you could have done something, you’re always trying to play the hero but I have to tell you that you’re not always going to be that person. It’s impossible.”

Anne’s tears were really going now, her Aunt’s words were so deftly hitting the mark that Anne marveled at her precision.

Aunt Anne waited a beat more, then said, “Sometimes admitting that you’re human and not perfect, _is_ being a hero.”

Anne knew she was right and yet to her, it was so out of her nature to admit it, she was still trying to come up with excuses for why she was at fault for Eliza, but she knew she didn’t want to try to tell the older woman that. It would only add to her disappointment in her niece.

“Now, I’ve said what I needed to say, except…”

Anne looked up; her Aunt’s voice had turned a little more worried. “What is it?”

“It’s your father…he doesn’t like to make a big deal; you and he are more alike than you’d care to admit you know…”

Anne tilted her head to the side and smirked reluctantly, she didn’t want to ever admit that, but again, her Aunt’s words hit their mark. She stayed quiet, waiting for her to finish.

“…the fragment of the bullet they could never remove has moved, quite close to an artery…”

Anne’s eyes grew impossibly wide and she asked, panic evident in her voice, “The one in his chest? He led me to believe it was the one in his knee. What are they doing about it?!”

“Everything and anything, but he’ll need surgery, whether he wants to admit that or not…and with his health recently…”

“Oh, Aunt…” Anne got up off of the floor and hugged her Aunt unashamedly. She knew how much she loved her brother and this was also as much about that as it was about potentially losing her father. She might have constantly butted heads with him over the years, but she knew in her heart of hearts that they loved each other deeply. This was also about the need for these two women to comfort each other in quiet, away from his eyes, so that they could get it all out without him judging them for “being stupid”, as he would put it.

Anne wasn’t going to press her for more information, she would pry that out of the man in question, but she felt just like a little girl again, when she would scrape her knee and her father would pick her up and comfort her. She wanted to be that little girl again and feel those strong arms around her, telling her it would all be okay.

*****

As Anne got ready for bed later that night, a smile broke out on her face when a certain tone pinged on her phone, it meant that Ann had sent her a text. Even though they had said they wouldn’t talk tonight, because it would only add to each other’s longing and they really had to try to slow things down, she was delightfully happy to be receiving a message from her.

_< Just wanted to remind you that I get off at 2:30 tomorrow. I hate to be a bother, but could you come into the school rather than wait outside for me? My classroom is down the right corridor, third room on the left. Can’t wait to see you. Yours ever faithfully and affectionately, ~Ann Walker 💖 _ _>_

It took every last ounce of Anne’s willpower to not respond with what two of the words in that sentence had sprung into her mind, which would have been: _Just so we’re clear, you’ll also be **getting off** at 4:00, 4:24 and 4 seconds, 4:35 and 18 seconds…_

She smirked to herself, but decided to be adult about it and went with:

_< Not a bother in the slightest! Besides, I’d love to see ‘art teacher’ Ann Walker in her element. I’ll be there five minutes before 2:30 and will be at your classroom five minutes after. The Head Teacher is an old friend of my father’s and I just want to stop in and say hello. Incidentally, she was also my last English teacher and I always pay my respects, as I owe practically my entire writing career to her. Anyhow, more on that whenever you want to be bored to tears. Can’t wait either, have stopped myself from sneaking out and scaling your wall, at least twice. Your faithful and affectionate servant. ~Anne Lister> _

Ann heard the ding of her phone and picked up it up from the space beside her, she was already tucked into bed, but waiting for Anne to reply. Not trying to be too eager, after she had texted the older woman, she had put the phone down. As she picked it up, her eyes were closed, she didn’t know what to expect. ‘Will it be a sweet, funny, serious or sexy reply?’ She thought as she put the phone up in front of her face and then opened her eyes quickly, reading. Happily, the text was all four. A smile broke out onto her face and she bit her bottom lip when she saw the last line of Anne’s text. She wanted to answer with something very racy but rethought that tactic, because she knew that Anne was being good so that her Aunt wouldn’t worry. That was something she would have to help Anne with, when she saw her for lunch tomorrow.

It would probably be more like a dinner actually, Ann wouldn’t really be finished until about 3:30 with tutoring one of her students who the Head Teacher had asked her to take on as a favor. It was a young boy, Henry Hardcastle, who had lost a leg and was being bullied for it. His parents thought maybe it was better if they took him out of the school altogether, but the Head Teacher insisted they give her idea a shot, and had called a meeting of all the staff in his year to see what they could do to help. Ann had suggested they help him with a hobby, like music or art, as that had always helped her to cope when she was having a bad time of it. When the Head Teacher looked around at the staff, no one jumped at the chance and the music teacher just looked away. Ann had stepped up to volunteer. After all, it was her idea. So, everything was set, Henry would be at her classroom at 2:30 and he would receive some private drawing lessons for an hour twice a week.

Still grinning like a naughty schoolgirl and looking at Anne’s text she typed a reply and waited a few moments for the feelings of being immature subsided before hitting send:

_< I do have an hour long tutoring session, so I’m glad you want to see me ‘in my element’ and I hope you can stay all throughout, think of it as my interview for your book. If you can’t, I understand completely. ~Ann Walker>_

Anne quickly responded, her mischievous side taking over completely and sent:

_< What happened to ‘Yours affectionately and fondly’? or ‘Yours moist and wetly’… ~Anne Lister>_

Ann gasped and rapidly replied, the smile on her face growing wider as she replied:

_< Anne! You’re terrible! I was trying to keep it business like so that you won’t be arrested for scaling my wall at 2am. Yours sweet and temptingly ~Ann Walker>_

Anne smiled and winked at her phone at the sign off and texted:

_< Shame, I was hoping we’d be arrested together, a ‘women in prison’ story does give me warm, licentious feelings. Yours mouth wateringly and in anticipation, ~Anne Lister>_

Ann snorted and sent:

_< Oh Lord, I’m dating a lech! Yours chaste and innocently, ~Ann Walker>_

Anne raised an eyebrow and sent back:

_< I could have told you that, in fact, I think I **did** tell you that. Yours, desperately and looking around to find a ladder, ~Anne Lister>_

Ann gasped at that and she felt her clit throb at the thought of Anne actually scaling her wall to ravish her, also the thought of her being desperate for her. It was getting a little too much. She’d surely not be able to sleep for at least another hour.

_< I’m shutting off my phone and burying it in the ground, or I shall have no peace tonight. I’ll see you at 2:35 and 27 seconds. _😉 _Xoxo_ _~Ann Walker_ _>_

_< Is that what they call an ‘emoji’ at the end of your sentence there? I should start using those, shouldn’t I? Finally move firmly into the twenty first century. Here, how’s this? 🍑💦👅 Yours, limbering up my… **legs** to go out for a walk so that I can also sleep tonight, ~Anne Lister>_

Ann sat staring at her screen for about a minute after that last text, she was trying to get a hold of her raging libido that the visuals Anne’s emojis were conjuring up. Again. The woman wasn’t even physically in the bed with her and yet she felt with just a couple of touches from her she would be done for. With her head shaking side to side, she tossed her phone to the other side of her bed and hunkered lower into her covers. ‘I’ll need to get as much sleep as possible tonight…tomorrow I will need my strength.’

Anne waited for another text to come in from Ann, one scolding, or perhaps even a blush or maybe if she was lucky one of those faces where it looked like the person was drooling, but when nothing came in for several minutes she finally had to admit that nothing else was going to be said from Ann tonight. She hoped she hadn’t offended, but then again, she felt that it was due to something else entirely and that thought made her have to get back out of bed and do some serious push-ups. It was going to be a long day tomorrow and she needed to burn this energy off tonight so that she was ready for it.

*****

The morning started ordinary enough, breakfast was as normal, tea, toast, one piece with marmalade, the other with marmite. What was out of the ordinary was the last text on her phone from Anne, she sat at the table still staring at it, her finger tapping on the screen rapidly, wracking her brain trying to work out what to answer back. _If_ she should answer back. She picked it up and put it down about three times and then pushed the button to shut the screen. After breakfast she would take her shower and then work out what to say. The butterflies in her stomach were making it difficult to choke down her breakfast and she only managed half of each piece.

The shower would be warm and then she would need to turn it cold for a few moments.

*****

Anne looked at her father and tried to start a conversation so often that if he had looked up from his bowl of porridge, he would have laughed at her. Her mouth hung open and then shut rapidly many times in succession that she looked like the clown in the game at a carnival where you had to shoot a stream of water into its mouth before it closed.

Her Aunt spied her look but didn’t say anything, if she had been closer to her at the table, she would have put her hand over her niece’s and squeezed it.

“Father,” Anne finally found her voice, “How are you feeling?”

He looked up and furrowed his brow.

“How should I be feeling?”

Aunt Anne scoffed and Anne sighed. This would be hard as he loved to devil everyone rather than face the real meaning of the question.

“You mentioned the bother from your old war wound, how is that today?”

His hand instinctively went to a place on his chest next to his heart. “It’s been…fine,” He realized that he revealed which particular wound had been in question. The one in his knee had been a bother, but nothing really new about that, it was only recently that he was getting sharp pains in his chest that made his sister practically scream at him every day to go get it looked into. And now he knew his daughter, who would run quite strongly with something once she took up the bit, would be in marathon mode until he got it properly seen to.

“ _Captain_ ,” Anne said, more forcefully.

“ _Commander_?” He put down his spoon and put up a challenging eyebrow.

Anne was momentarily charmed by his nickname for her. Lately it had been true as she was more of the boss around here, even when she wasn’t here.

She didn’t let the charm get in her way though. “Father, really, I would like to go with you to your next appointment.”

Aunt Anne looked gratefully at Anne for that. Still she kept quiet.

Jeremy looked at his sister and then back at his daughter, “In cahoots, I see?”

“Why shouldn’t we be? We care about you, you old-”

He held up his spoon and pointed, “I can still put you over my knee and give you a right and proper hiding you know.”

“I’d like to see you try.” Anne held up her coffee cup and quirked her eyebrow in a challenge of her own.

“Okay, you two, I’d like to have the dining table still intact for when Ms. Walker comes over for lunch.”

Anne looked at her Aunt, smiling, then said, “A little more like dinner now, Aunt, she has someone to tutor after school today, we’ll probably be back here by four. I hope that won’t be too late. I could always make it earlier and then you two would be able to eat it for lunch.”

Her father spoke up, “And miss the sparks flying back and forth between you?”

Aunt Anne gasped and looked at Anne before looking back at her brother and admonishing him, “Jeremy! Hush now!”

Anne looked at her Aunt then at her father, and put down her coffee cup, she asked, “What’s this?”

“Your aunt tells me that you and Ms. Walker have struck up…well…a courtship?”

Anne smiled at the old-fashioned word she had thought of about their relationship only yesterday. She nodded and said, “We _have_. Is that agreeable to you?”

“ _More than_.” He nodded back at her and went back to eating.

Aunt Anne smiled at her niece and the rest of the breakfast passed in companionable silence.

Anne was still going to make her father take her to his next appointment, which would be before the end of the week if she had any say in it and she planned to have a _few_ says in it.

*****

Ann’s day was going well so far. She decided not to send the peach and eggplant emoji combination that she was going to send back to Anne, and just decided to say nothing because she feared she would have to call out sick and just scale Anne’s wall to take care of the burning desire, that by now had been stoked into raging inferno.

Her cool shower provided her with some relief and now she was just trying to get through the day without thinking of kisses or touches from a certain brunette woman.

As two thirty rolled around, she was relieved, she managed to get through the day without having to splash her face with cold water and now she would be able to help a young boy in need. Henry came into the classroom about two minutes after she came back from using the loo.

“Hello, Henry, nice to meet you!” She greeted him, holding out her recently washed hand for a shake.

He took his hand off of his right crutch and accepted hers. “Nice to meet you, as well.” Not looking very enthusiastic to be there.

“Well, come in, we can get started straight away, if you’d like. I know you’re probably dying to get home and play with your friends.”

“Yeah, sure, friends.” He looked away.

She looked a little sad at him but didn’t call attention to that.

“Would you like a juice? I have some in a little fridge over there.”

“Sure.”

“I have apple or peach.”

“Peach, please.”

“Excellent, very fine choice, peach is my favorite as well.” She thought about that as she went to go retrieve the juice boxes. “Well, if we’re honest it’d be strawberry, but they were out.” She shrugged, then handed him one once he had settled in his chair, placing the crutches carefully beside him leaning against the table.

“Strawberry is good as well,” Henry said, with a small smile. “Have you tried raspberry though?”

“Not yet, is it better than the strawberry?”

“Oh, loads, I mean, I like the strawberry, but the raspberry just really is very tasty. No aftertaste.”

“You’re right, the strawberry does have an aftertaste, doesn’t it?”

Henry nodded as he was drinking, “Peach is really good, too. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome, Henry,” Ann nodded and smiled at him. “What shall we draw today?”

He shrugged, not really knowing what to say.

“How about I show you what perspective means in drawing?”

He shrugged again, “Sure.”

“Good,” She smiled at him. “Who’s your favorite comic book character?”

He thought about that and looked sheepish.

“Don’t be shy around me, Henry, I’m here for you, I won’t judge.”

He smiled at her and said, “Sonic the Hedgehog.”

She returned his smile brightly, “Oh, I adore hedgehogs! He’s blue is he not?”

“Yes, and he wears red trainers because he runs really fast.”

Ann suspected Henry wished he could go that fast and that’s why he liked the character. She nodded sagely.

“Let me pull him up on my phone to make sure I get this right.” She said, as she pulled up a browser and put his name into it, “Oh, yes, here we are, I remember long days of watching my brother play him on his gaming consoles.”

“Sega?”

“Sure,” Ann said, a little confused but went with it. “That too.”

Henry chuckled and then prepared himself to be taught how to draw Sonic.

*****

Head Teacher, Mary Sowden, looked up from the paper at her desk, she was just about to put her things away, when a knock sounded on her door.

“Come in, door’s open.”

Her face brightened when she saw who it was and stood up, quickly coming around the desk and pulling Anne into a warm, slightly crushing hug.

“I heard you were coming back, but I didn’t get my hopes up that you would come visit!” The normally stoic and professional woman exclaimed.

“What do you mean? This was my entire reason for coming back to Halifax.”

The older woman pulled back and looked into Anne’s eyes, “Liar,” She said after peering into the dark eyes for a few moments. “I should give you detention for that.”

Anne laughed and hugged the woman tight again.

“How are you, Mary?”

“Doing very well, thank you. And…” Her face turned a little sad, “You? How are you doing after…”

Anne nodded understandingly, “Pretty well, all things considered. I’m recovering from the shock of it all, but things seem to be moving in a positive direction, so I can’t complain.”

“No, you can’t because you have friends that won’t let you,” She laughed and showed Anne over to a seat on the sofa, “Sit down, now. Tell me what you have planned for it. Who will illustrate?”

Anne looked at her old teacher and now mentor and realized she might not approve of one of her teachers being poached for this, but it wasn’t exactly poaching, just borrowing some of their free time for her book.

“Promise you won’t get mad?”

Mary looked puzzled at her, “What’ya mean?” Her Yorkshire accent coming out because the question sounded loaded and she needed to be prepared.

“Ann Walker, your art teacher…”

Mary nodded, impressed. “Very talented young woman, you’d be lucky if she said yes to you.”

Anne looked a little guilty at that.

“Oh, no…” Mary Sowden said, understanding what the dynamic was and it that it was similar to what she just went through with Vere Hobart. “Are you sure you want to go through something like that again?”

Anne looked at her sincerely, “This is going to sound like I’m repeating myself, but Mary, I swear, I don’t know how it is, especially so soon, but I think…”

“She’s ‘the one’?” Mary looked at her with a questioning smirk.

Anne sighed and nodded, “I know, I’ve said this countless times before, but it’s true and that’s all I’m going to say.”

The Head Teacher narrowed her eyes at her and waited until Anne was done averting hers.

“Are you quite finished with the arguments in your head?” She asked, knowing Anne for so long and being in many mentoring sessions with her over the years, she could tell she was defending her reasons for dating and also working with Ann Walker, in her head.

Anne chuckled, “Yes.”

“Well, I just wanted to commend you on your choice of partner,” She smiled at her former student, “I’m not funning either. She’s brilliant, smart, funny, discerning, quiet, mega talented…everything you’re not,” Mary said and smiled, waiting for the protest. Anne only scoffed so she continued, “I only hope you don’t carry her off to London, I’d hate to lose her. She’s special.”

“I promise, I’m not carrying her off to London, I’ve actually been thinking of coming back on a more permanent basis. Getting to know her properly, not rushing into anything because I’m afraid she’ll run off and catch her a husband.”

“Well that’ll be a refreshing change.” Mary said, sincerely.

“Won’t it _just_ ,” Anne said, narrowing her eyes at her, “I also want to keep a closer eye on Shibden, with this tourist thing, I feel like I have to be here. And my father…”

Mary looked concerned, “What’s wrong with your father?”

“Apparently the fragment of bullet that was lodged in his chest has loosened itself nearer to his heart.”

“Oh, Anne, I’m sorry. Can they do anything?”

“Well, you know him, they can but he won’t let them. So now I have to spend half my time doing battle with him, the other half keeping my Aunt sane with all the changes we’re making to Shibden and ensuring it’s not going to collapse under the visitors and now this with Ann Walker…” She stopped to let a smile pop out onto her lips and Mary could see it was about love for her.

Anne continued, “I can’t do all that from London and honestly, I don’t really need to be based in London, I can meet with my editor or agent through the power of the bloody infernal laptop.”

“I see you still insist on ‘long handing’ your chapters then…”

“No, you successfully got me to stop.”

“Good, because I couldn’t be arsed with your badgery chicken scratch anymore. It was making my head hurt to read it. Why, oh why you feel the need to abbreviate so many words is beyond me.”

“To save time.”

“Not for your bloody spell checker!”

“You’re more than a spell checker…Mary.”

“Why thank you, that’s probably the nicest thing you’ve said to me in about a year and a half.”

Anne narrowed her eyes in confusion, “What was the last thing?”

“Get the hell out of my life.”

“Well…” Anne smirked, contrite.

“Seriously though, ‘very’ does _not_ need an abbreviation.”

“Mary, we’ve been over this, now, are we okay with the Ann Walker possibly working for me thing?”

“She hasn’t said yes to that part yet?”

“Well, I haven’t seen her drawings yet.”

“You bastard.”

Anne shook her head and smiled, “Seriously, you know that I’m not going to have just anyone illustrate-”

“Slow your fire there, Chief, you know I was making a jape,” She nodded her head towards a spot on the wall right behind and above them on the sofa, “Take a gander.”

“What?” Anne moved slightly to look at it, “That’s…one of…Ann. _Walker._ did that?”

“As you can see by it’s brilliance and if you couldn’t, there’s her signature.”

The brunette woman was floored, it was beautiful, she simply couldn’t believe it. She swiveled a little more and looked closer and then got up to really look at it.

“That’s not…it is!” She said excitedly and pointed to a girl writing in a book. “That’s near Red Beck…and…” She pointed to a hut amidst the forest.

“Your shed.”

“ _Chaumière_ , thank you very much,” Anne said, quickly giving her a cutting look and then looked back at the picture.

“You say potato…I say shed.”

Anne didn’t take the bait; she was too stunned by the artistry and the fact that this was in fact an illustration of a scene in her book.

“Why?”

“She had heard that I was influential in your early writing career and sort of did that on the sly and then gave it to me for Christmas.”

“Mary it’s beautiful…it’s everything I’d hoped for in an illustrator and _more_ …I just can’t get over it, I mean, Vere was good but this…”

“Vere was shit and I’m going to tell you this now and you better hear it once and for all. You’re better off without her.”

Anne looked at her, about to say something but didn’t. She realized she actually agreed with that statement. Still very stunned by the artistry on display she went and sat in a chair just off to the side of the coffee table and sat, mute and awed. After another two minutes she looked at Mary Sowden.

“Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

“How would I know you actually knew each other?”

“You knew that Vere’s drawings were apparently crap, why didn’t you put me on to this?”

“ _Anne_ , she was your _girlfriend_ , was I supposed to tell you she was actually crap? You would have slapped my face. You understand how you get with your women, don’t you?”

Anne looked at her apologetically. “I’m sorry-”

“Don’t be, besides…I could tell by the way Ann talked about you, which wasn’t often mind, because she only really talks when she has something important to say, especially early on…I could tell that she either loved you, or regarded you very highly, possibly both. And anyway, I didn’t want to be the flint that sparked the fire between you two.” Anne started to protest but Mary put her hand up to stop her and said, “I know your ‘playing the field’ days are behind you but I knew it would eat at you because you two are so obviously right for each other, it’s not even funny.”

Anne grinned knowingly and nodded her head, “I don’t even want to think about losing her, not even for a moment and we haven’t even…”

Mary raised her eyebrows, impressed.

Anne smirked, “…well…not for any length of time anyway.”

“Okay, Lister, now, that’s one of my teachers, so stop your boasting talk right now.”

“I shall, I just realized that you are her boss and that’s all you’ll get from me until she comes to her senses and quits this place.”

“Don’t you dare, I’ll sue you for defamation, slander and a whole host of other charges that are false, but one hopefully will stick.”

“You are _terrible_. So, what news? Have, any?”

“Thomas is doing very well I his new job, he and Susannah as you know are still expecting, Alf has been taken on as a electricians apprentice, all that Uni and he’s happy being a sparkey, and Amy is starting her second year. I can’t complain. Well, I can, but it would just be easier…”

Anne finished her sentence with a smile, “If you didn’t have to. I know.”

Mary looked like an idea just came to her. “Speaking of news, I wanted to ask, how are you with the new changes at your publisher?”

“Hinscliffe and Company?”

Mary nodded.

“What have you heard? I haven’t heard anything.”

“The senior VP Mallinson has been sacked and that gobshite Thomas Ainsworth has been put in his place?”

“ _Pains_ worth? When did this happen?”

“Friday night it was announced, those cowards always do that because most people are out on the town. You must have been out at a club, eh?”

“No, as a matter of fact I was at the Catherine Rawson’s flat meeting your teacher.”

“Ah, that’s why she took off like a shot on Friday afternoon.”

Anne smiled, picturing that.

Mary asked, “So you’re okay with that news, of good old Tommy _Pains_ worth taking over the VP spot?”

“What can I do about it, he doesn’t directly preside over my books, so I could give a hoot less.”

“Good, no need getting his hackles up. You stay above the fray.”

“I always do, I rise above it and it can just slink right underneath.”

“Excellent,” Mary checked her watch. “Ooh, their tutoring session should be over in about thirty minutes, didn’t you want to see her in action? And don’t give me any dirty minded looks.”

“You know me too well, Mary. I’m going to have to kill you and bury you in a ditch.”

“Just don’t do it until after Michaelmas Term, I have a dishy new boyfriend and he’s promised to take me on a cruise.”

Anne looked at her seriously, “Talk to Catherine Rawson, according to Delia her last cruise was a disaster.”

“Delia _Ruck_ son? The company you _do_ keep.” Mary said and shook her head.

“Tell me about it.” Anne said, then winked at her and went out of the door.

*****

A few minutes later and Anne was walking up to Ann’s classroom. She was going to knock on the frame of the opened door but was stabbed in the heart by a love bubble, when she saw Ann showing a curly brown headed boy, of about ten, who reminded her of her brother Sam at that age, how to draw a cartoon hedgehog scaling a larger than life apple. She was using the one on her table as a model.

The late afternoon sun shone through the blinds that were pulled up, and it was catching the blonde woman’s hair, highlighting streaks of lighter blonde so that it looked like a halo was shining around her head.

‘What an unbelievable angel.’ Anne thought, astonished that she really had never given her more of a notice then pleasantries before. The addiction to Mariana had blinded her, for sure. She stood, leaning against the door frame as her heart hammered in her chest. Not realizing she was doing it, Anne let out an audible sigh.

First Henry and then Ann turned around to look at her.

Ann’s heart bloomed with a love bubble of her own and she smiled an impossibly wide grin. There was a strong urge to get up and go hug the brunette woman, but she held it in check, remembering where she was. The taller woman looked incredibly sexy in her dark slacks and light blue, loose fitting, silk blouse. Around her waist was a belt with a small round shining silver buckle that looked like a navigation symbol a ship would have.

“Henry, I wanted you to meet a friend, her name is Ms. Lister-”

“ _Anne_ Lister,” He said and nodded his head, then got up and put his crutches under his arm. Turning around to face her.

She quickly made her way over to him and held out her hand for a shake. “Henry, my good man, how are you?”

“I’m doing well,” He nodded his head towards Ann, “Ms. Walker was just showing me how to draw.”

“Let’s see, please sit down,” She pointed to his chair and helped him with his crutches after he sat down. “I’ll just pop them right here beside you.”

He thanked her and then gave her his drawing. She held it up and studied it like she would have a Van Gogh at the Met.

““I can see you’re learning about perspective, am I right?” Anne asked.

“Yes, ma’am…”

“Call me Anne, Henry.”

“Anne.” He smiled.

“This is very good, Henry, really _very_ good. I like your use of the different shades of blue to accentuate how fast he’s moving, and the streaks coming off of the top of his head and his back really solidify that.”

Henry smiled widely while Anne gave him her honest assessment of his work so far.

“I’d say you have a star pupil here, Ms. Walker…” Anne looked up and caught the desire filled look from the blonde woman and had to look away quickly. “What do you say, Henry? When you’re finished with this, may I have a copy?”

“You can have this one if you like?”

“Oh, no, I believe the original should stay with it’s creator, I’d be happy with just a copy.”

“Would you like me to sign it for you?”

“Absolutely, that’ll be a must.”

“I love all your books by the way. I know they have a girl in it and all. But I think girls can do anything boys can do.”

Anne smiled widely; she was very impressed with this bright young boy.

“They can, very much so.” She said, nodding her head.

Ann sat back down after getting rid of their empty juice boxes and keeping her mind off of the desirous feelings coursing through her veins, by tiding up so that when the tutoring was over she and Anne could leave right away. She wasn’t going to be rude and have them rush through their dinner with her aunt and father, but she wasn’t also going to be dragging out any parts of their day before she could take her home with her.

Anne watched as she and Henry both worked on their drawings and the way Ann would gently suggest other techniques to help perfect his drawing was giving her waves of love that she let wash over her. After another twenty minutes there was a soft knock at the door, it was Henry’s dad, William. They exchanged pleasantries and Anne promised to sign Henry’s book when she next saw him, which they agreed would be at his next lesson on Thursday.

Ann was pleased to hear that Anne would be coming again to see Henry, she felt they would both get on like a house on fire and she also loved to see Anne interact with children. Most people would have thought she was too severe and serious to be able to deal with children, but Ann was finding out it was quite the opposite. And she found that incredibly hot.

As they all said their goodbyes to each other, Ann waited until they were out of the room and hugged Anne closely to her. They stayed like that for several moments and Anne kissed the side of her head.

“I missed you a lot.” The blonde woman said, hugging her impossibly tight.

Anne smiled, “And I missed you…a lot.”

“I think I got about four hours sleep all up. I kept waking up and then having a fitful time going back to sleep.”

“Oh really?” Anne asked, as she pulled back and looked into Ann’s blue eyes. She again, noticed the desire in them and it was making her eyes look like a churning sea in a storm. Anne pushed her back into the wall, very close to claiming her mouth right then and there, but at the last moment she realized where they were and stopped herself. Her right hand had been on the wall, next to Ann’s head and she used her leverage to push herself away.

Ann groaned frustrated.

Her heart broke for Ann, who would have to endure about an hour of dinner chit chat and then polite questions from her aunt and father. She laughed as she pictured she and Ann jumping onto the table and ripping their clothes from each other as her Aunt Anne shrieked and ran and her father asking them to pass the salt, sitting there non-plussed until he finally looked up from his plate and ran from the room in abject fright.

Anne used the wall to help vault herself backwards, at first coming very close to Ann, who drew in a sharp anticipatory breath, but then let out another frustrated groan and sigh and she pushed away from her.

“We have to…” Anne moved from in front of Ann and went off to the side. Leaning just her head in so she could whisper close to her ear without putting her hands or body on her, “I’m not going to defile this classroom or take you up against the wall like a cheap tart. I want to do this right. We’re going to dinner with my aunt and father and then you’re taking me back to your house and I’m-”

“Staying all night?”

“Precisely.” Anne said, and watched as Ann closed her eyes and let the thoughts that were going through her mind, work their way to where she wanted them to go. The brunette watched her for a few moments more, then said, “I’ll be out waiting near the car. I’ll let you get your things together, I have to just go walk for a few moments, hmm?”

Ann nodded, not opening her eyes.

Seven minutes later, Ann came out of the school and noticed Anne pacing around her car. It made her smile because Anne was obviously having the same issue as she was and that somehow made her happy, they were going through this together.

*****

All the way to Shibden, they didn’t really speak to each other, aside from Anne telling Ann about her father and then Ann explaining to her about Henry’s story and then Anne asking follow-up questions about that whole situation. The older woman was shocked to learn that the accident that had caused the boy to lose his leg was very near Shibden’s grounds and that whoever was driving the car that pushed his parent’s car off the road, was never caught. Anne made a mental note and stored it in one of her compartments for later.

They made it to her house with no further incidents of unbidden desire and frustrated groans or grunts from Ann.

“Ann!” Anne’s Aunt said, excited to see the young woman. “Thank you for coming to dinner with us this evening. How was work?”

“It was wonderful, especially once your niece came and picked me up.”

Aunt Anne gave an impressed look to the niece in question.

“How was your first tutoring session with the little Hardcastle boy?”

“It went really well, I was very impressed with his work, just on the first day.”

“He looks very artistic; I’m not surprised that he did so well.”

Anne agreed, “He’s done better in his first day, then I have done in a lifetime.”

“Yes, your drawings are…well let’s just say, ‘don’t quit your day job’.”

Anne looked affronted and Ann laughed.

“I will take any kind of constructive criticism from you, Aunt, for I truly believe that no fairer of a judge has ever walked the face of the earth.”

“Look who learned to be magnanimous,” Jeremy Lister said, as he came through the narrow walkway and onto the pavement where Ann and his sister were exchanging pleasantries.

“Good evening, Captain Lister,” Ann nodded and leaned in to kiss his cheek.

“Good evening, dear girl, I’ve told you before not to make a stranger of yourself, and here it is a whole week before you come back to see us.”

Ann averted her eyes from Anne’s on purpose. Clearly there was something up here and Anne wasn’t privy to the information about it. She wanted to ask what it was all about, but had a feeling it wasn’t something malicious, so she let it go, for now.

“Come,” Aunt Anne, said, threading her arm through the crook of Ann’s and leading her in through the covered walkway. “Anne’s been cooking all afternoon, and everything is almost all ready.”

“Now, I understand this is to your superior skills at backgammon, my dear Ms. Walker and I know that it’s going to be a veritable smorgasbord of food. One thing I will say for my daughter, she may not be a great writer, but she sure can heat up a tin of beans very almost adequately.” He winked at Ann.

“Jeremy!” Aunt Anne scolded her brother. “You know that I also helped heating up those tin of beans, you could also give your dear old sister some credit too.”

“Oh, yes, I forgot, you opened them.”

Anne just looked at the back of his head and shook hers from side to side.

When Anne brought out the trundle cart with the crockery that had the food inside, Jeremy’s eyes perked up.

“Oh, Father,” Anne said, a look of suspicious mirth in her eyes and a grin on her lips. “I’m sorry, I forgot your tin of beans, I have this though…”

His eyes went wide as Anne put the covered dish next to him and took the top off, he went to take the serving spoon and was disappointed as it moved away again.

“Sorry, Captain, guests first.”

Aunt Anne chuckled and he narrowed her eyes at her.

“I don’t know what you’re so happy about over there, Annie, I’m reporting your dear niece for elder abuse. Her name will be rife in the all the tabloids and trade papers.”

Anne smiled, “As I always hoped to have been.” She nodded and challenged him to keep this banter going.

“As much as I’d like to watch you two verbally volley back and forth all day, the food will get cold if you don’t hurry up.” Aunt Anne said.

Anne held the bowl out to her Aunt to serve herself. This continued until all the food was on their proper pates and they really started to tuck in. Of course, after the toast that Captain Lister made Anne almost cry with. She saw Ann, using the corner of her napkin to dry her tears and had to bite the side of her cheek to stop from crying herself. It was not at all full of jokes and she knew her Father had never done anything like this for one of her girlfriends before.

Anne got up and gave him a grateful kiss to the cheek.

The talk and the good-natured banter were exactly what Anne could have hoped for when she thought of this day. They all had a good time ribbing one another, Aunt Anne even got into the mix with Ann when she teased her about her latest knitted monstrosity, which wasn’t actually a monstrosity, but a gorgeous grey cable knit cardigan that she had helped Ann pick out the pattern for a present to Anne during Christmas. Though, Anne of course, wasn’t to know anything about it, especially the fact that her Aunt had been in on the plans for her to try and woo Anne at Catherine and Delia’s party.

As they finished their coffee and pastries at the end of dinner, Ann looked at Jeremy and asked, “So, Captain, you said your next doctor’s appointment was Wednesday, yes?”

Anne’s head snapped up from her coffee cup, she had just been thinking of a way of broaching the subject again without revealing too much of his private business in front of Ann. She had just said to herself that she would wait until tomorrow after she was back from Ann’s to deal with it, she was going to have to get tough if he wasn’t going to talk to her about it.

Her eyes at first narrowed at him, then her eyebrows lifted and she awaited his reply with a curious cock of her head and a slight smile on her lips.

“Yes, dear, it’s on Wednesday, I was going to ask my eldest to take me to it, do you think she’d go for it?”

“Oh, I think she would, in a heartbeat. Wouldn’t you, dearest?” Ann asked, innocently.

Anne’s smile grew wider and her heart beat harder in her chest at Ann using the dearest nickname in front of her family. If she didn’t already start to feel like she really loved this ever-surprising woman, she certainly would have with that.

She realized that she had been asked a question, “Oh, most definitely, my darling,” She nodded at her with a grateful smile and winked, putting her coffee cup down and leaning forward towards her father, “I have nothing to do that day, in the…what time is your appointment, Father?”

He couldn’t help but smile at his daughter, as much as he wanted to keep a neutral face, he knew exactly what she was doing. He said, “Noon.”

“I have absolutely nothing to do at noon on Wednesday and I would be most honored to accompany my father to his appointment.”

Aunt Anne also smiled gratefully at Ann who nodded and went back to silently eating her dessert.

As they said their goodbyes to her family and Aunt Anne and Jeremy kissed Ann goodbye in turn, clearly happy with Anne finally coming to her senses and dating someone who was right for her, the brunette watched as she interacted with her family as though she had always been there. Whispering something to her Aunt that made the older woman clutch at her heart and lean in to give her a grateful kiss. She made another mental note and filed it away to ask about later.

Finally, mercifully, they were alone and in Jeremy’s Range Rover, heading towards Lidgate. She didn’t really want to take the truck because it was a manual, but she figured if her Aunt needed to go somewhere she’d leave the automatic, because while her Aunt could drive the stick shift, she had been complaining of shoulder pain in her left shoulder and she didn’t want her to have to drive in pain. She felt both disappointed and grateful in equal measure because driving the stick meant that she couldn’t touch Ann, but she figured that was probably a merciful thing. They might be in a ditch somewhere by now if she was able to touch her. Or at least off on the side of the road making the large truck rock from side to side, putting its shocks through their paces.

No sooner than Anne had thought that last thought, and had to shift in her seat from the sensations it was sending to her core, then Ann put her right hand on the brunette’s forearm that was resting on the ball of the gear shift. If it was meant as a soothing or calming gesture, it was not doing its job. Anne’s libido shot through the roof and she audibly sighed as the feelings started to rage within her.

“Tired?” Ann asked, the feeling of Anne’s skin was causing the same feelings to rage out of control within her as well, but she didn’t dare take her hand off Anne’s forearm, the sensations it was causing in her were too delicious to give up.

Anne couldn’t believe it, but she was actually starting to sweat, she felt a bead start to trickle at her hairline, mercifully away from Ann’s side.

She cleared her throat, “No, actually, I’m feeling quite… _alive_ …at the moment. Awake might be the better word there, actually.”

Ann smiled, her hand on Anne’s forearm was doing its job.

The older woman asked, “This street, correct?” Even though she had just driven it only about two hours ago, she couldn’t really think straight and needed to confirm the correct street.

“Yes, just up coming up.”

As they pulled up and into the driveway, Anne was thankful that her horniness had calmed only slightly to allow her to see well enough to park without forgetting to put the truck in neutral and switch off the ignition. She put on the emergency break and waited for Ann to remove her hand from her arm. When she didn’t, she quirked a questioning eyebrow at her.

Ann put her eyebrows up and gave her a challenging smile.

Anne’s heart skipped a beat, but she managed to keep her head about her, she shook her head slowly and said, “ _Inside_.” In a voice that showed she would brook no nonsense. If she were to kiss her here in the truck, they would never leave and the whole of Lightcliffe would have had a show put on for them.

One that would have had them registering as sex offenders for exposing themselves to the town.

Ann’s eyelids lowered slightly and her eyes misted over, she quickly lifted her hand off of Anne’s arm and opened the door of the truck.

Anne had wanted to be chivalrous and go open the door for her, but it appeared as though the blonde woman might be as eager as she was, maybe even more. She chuckled as the passenger door slammed, and Ann called out a “Sorry!” as she ran up to the door of her house, key already at the ready and entered it hastily.

Anne stayed in the truck for a few moments, gripping the steering wheel tightly and saying a silent prayer, or more like a whispered, thanks to whatever goddesses were working in her favour.

She remarked that the ivy had been cleared away from the outer walls of the cottage and lamented their removal. She had always admired this place because of that. Now it just seemed naked.

That thought had her shaking her head as she retrieved her overnight bag from the back and slung it over her shoulder.

She trotted up the steps and went into the open door smiling, just getting the front door shut as a mess of arms, legs and hair rushed her and jumped into her arms, Ann had taken her hair down again and was frantically kissing her all over her head and face, seemingly trying to climb her body and take purchase on it with her legs coiling around Anne’s waist. She was bowled over, but still managed to remain on her feet, thanks to the door that she had just closed, it kept her standing upright. Next, she shrugged her bag off her shoulder and let it drop to the floor with a resounding thud. With that done she was able to help Ann up onto her hips more securely and then hug her closer to her body. Finally, claiming her mouth as Ann made her way from her cheek to her lips with peppered kisses.

When they parted for much needed air, Ann whispered to her urgently, “Bedroom… _now_.”

Anne smiled at the command and started walking them to the stairs as Ann again, peppered the taller woman’s head and face with sweet and slightly sloppy kisses.

“ _Guest_ bedroom.” The blonde woman commanded; this time slightly muffled by a sounder kiss to her forehead.

“Where?”

“Through the kitchen down the corridor, first door on the right,” She said, then resumed her kisses to anywhere and everywhere in her reach. Anne almost dropped her on the kitchen floor when she felt a tongue slide into her ear.

‘Oh, Jesus Christ, I’m going to…’ She stopped that thought from finishing, she wasn’t a teenager any longer, she could control herself. Besides, she hadn’t done that since her first time and she shook the thought out of her mind. As she passed the kitchen table, she contemplated using Ann’s legs to push the vase of flowers off of it and just lay her down right here, but she wanted a proper bed, playing around and role playing, could wait until later. She was going to have fun with this in a proper bed.

As she got them to the bedroom in one piece, Ann reached behind her and turned the knob, letting them into the room. It was a nice big bed and Anne walked swiftly to the front of it and threw Ann down onto it. The blonde woman marveled at the strength with which she was thrown. She got herself to her elbows and was about to reach down and pull her sundress up when Anne spoke.

“Stop!” The brunette said forcefully, she herself was quickly undoing the buttons to her blouse and pulled it off her shoulders, tossing it to the side over a chair that was next to the door. She watched as Ann let go of the dress that she had begun to bunch up and went back to resting on her elbows.

Ann was clearly affected by being commanded to stop removing her clothing, she sensed Anne wanted to be in charge here and that was perfectly fine with her. Her breathing started to become erratic and her mouth went dry as Anne got rid of her bra as well and then kicked off her shoes. The older woman had decided on flats today, she felt a little more womanly and also wanted to not have to wear socks to be able to just kick off her shoes, just in case something like this were to happen, which she was most definitely confident it would.

Anne was about to take off her pants and had just gotten the top button undone when she heard a gasp coming from the bed and spotted Ann clutching at her own breast. She hopped up on her knees and walked herself over to the blonde woman who had her eyes closed and was currently writhing on the bed with now unchecked desire evidently coursing through her. 

“ _Ann_ ,” The brunette said, slightly forceful but careful not to sound harsh.

Ann looked up, with her eyes unfocused and furrowed her brows at Anne, questioningly.

She continued, “What about ‘ _stop_ ’ don’t you understand? Hmm? Take your hands away and don’t touch yourself unless I tell you to, okay?”

Ann closed her eyes again, her breath coming strongly out of her nose, she removed her hand from her breast and turned her head to the side. The feelings were getting too much.

“Ann, look at me…”

Anne’s voice was low and sultry and it was connecting right to her clit, she shut her eyes tighter.

“Open your eyes or I’ll stop altogether and leave.”

Ann’s eyes flew open and her voice was tinged with hurt, “You _wouldn’t_ …you _couldn’t_ …”

“Oh, wouldn’t I?” Anne quirked an eyebrow at her that said she wasn’t to be trifled with.

The brunette wasn’t exactly sure where this was coming from, she never really thought of herself as some sort of dominatrix, though people probably thought of her that way.

Her voice was strong, but she wasn’t cross sounding, she instinctively knew that wouldn’t do for Ann and she did _not_ want to hurt this beautiful creature, quite the opposite actually.

Ann finally looked like she had gotten a hold of her feelings enough to intently listen to what Anne was saying.

The older woman smiled sincerely and said, “I just want you to see me…to know who’s going to do this to you… _for_ you…”

Ann smiled, her lips staying closed and her eyes showing her appreciation for that sentiment. Her breathing was still making her chest rise and fall at a rapid rate and her legs were falling open to the side making herself feel a little wanton. Well, a lot wanton, but she didn’t really care, she needed Anne there, in the worst way.

Anne positioned herself right in front of Ann’s legs that were spreading in front of her in a silent request, she dropped down on the bed and reached behind Ann to get two pillows, one bigger, to prop behind her back, and the other one the decorative smaller pillow to slip under her lower back, making the blonde woman more comfortable and also allowing Anne more access to her and not have to strain to reach all she wanted.

As she hovered over her, Ann mistook what she was doing and leaned up slightly, taking a taut nipple into her mouth.

“Jesus!” Anne gasped out, shocked at the force of the throb the hot wet mouth was causing to her clit and core. She stayed a moment more, letting Ann have what she wanted to take from her, but when she felt her arms snake around her back to pull her down further, she pulled up. Her nipple coming out of Ann’s mouth with a small pop. She chuckled through her nose at that.

‘Oh, God,’ Anne thought, ‘…this whole thing might kill me. It’s too delicious. Too sweet, too sexy, too funny even…’ And that made her want her even more.

Ann was puzzled and tried to get her to give her the nipple again, but Anne was too hell bent on pleasuring Ann first, so she took the pillows and fixed Ann how she wanted her. With that done, she reached down and bunched up the material of Anne’s dress into her hands and started to pull it up. Ann helped by lifting her hips and then sat up, more than willing to get her dress off and gone from her body, any shyness or embarrassment was long since gone. As Anne pulled the dress over her head, she then reached for Ann’s arm, and took the black scrunchy hair tie off of her wrist, using it to pull her own hair back into a ponytail, then made it into a bun as best as she could, with shaking hands.

She walked on her knees backwards and leaned down to kiss Ann with abandon, their tongues fighting in each other’s mouths for dominance, with Ann winning and sucking Anne’s tongue into her mouth. Each woman separately thought they might spontaneously combust with the feelings that this kiss was causing. Anne felt she had to pull back or would explode within another minute or two.

Ann groaned a little as she felt Anne pull away from her, but then her heart hammered hard in her chest as she saw the brunette ready herself on her stomach, and put her head right above her vagina. She closed her eyes for a moment to let the waves of unbidden desire flow over her and then opened them when she heard a tut.

“I want to look into those beautiful blue eyes as you come apart in my mouth.” Anne said and smiled, another challenging eyebrow was raised.

Ann tried her best not to close her eyes, but she had to shake her head from the feeling that her desire, spiking dangerously high, caused her.

Anne threaded her fingers in each side of the waistband of Ann’s knickers and slowly pulled them down, over her hips. The blonde woman bent her knees to allow them to be taken completely off.

The sight before her caused Anne’s breath to hitch in her throat and want to weep all at the same time. Above her impossibly wet and glistening pussy lips was a thick blonde thatch of pubic hair that wouldn’t be considered unkempt, but was decidedly fuller than she’d see in a long while.

Her heart soared and she again silently thanked whatever force put her on this earth, to be here in this moment. She dropped her head closer and her nose flared from the sweet, musky smell she remembered from only two mornings before, when she had brought Ann off with her fingers at Catherine Rawson’s flat.

She wished she could take a picture, but she knew that wouldn’t be wise and there were a lot of other times this would happen so that she could burn it into her memory. With a huge smile on her face, she descended on Ann’s pubic mound and gave it a kiss.

Ann gasped and automatically put her hand on the top of Anne’s head, doing her best not to close her eyes, as she had been instructed. She watched as the older woman kissed her pubic hair reverently, then licked out at it and finally bit down, taking some in her teeth, she tugged on it. It was almost as if she were checking to make sure it was real. Her pussy throbbed violently as Anne moaned at the feel of it against her mouth and Ann let her head loll back against the pillow, trying to stop the licentious, and now real, visuals happening in her head. Surely, her prediction of exploding into a pile of dust when Anne finally touched her tongue to her vagina would come true if she didn’t get herself under control. After a few moments, she finally dared to look again as Anne was slightly twisting her pubic hair with her teeth, like a dog with a juicy bone might. Ann was sure she was going to explode even before she put her tongue anywhere near her impossibly engorged clitoris.

Anne took Ann’s hips firmly in each hand, reluctantly pulled her lips off the patch of beautifully blonde hair and took another deep breath of her scent before descending her mouth onto Ann’s glistening nether lips.

Ann shouted and gasped at the same time, two days ago she had felt the highest of pleasurable feelings when Anne used her fingers on her, but she was woefully ill prepared for what was happening to her right at this moment. Her hole was throbbing earnest and she would have sworn to every magistrate in the country that she had just come, if she didn’t feel that her pleasure was still climbing and about to come to a thunderous crash. Her lower half shot up as she felt something break within her and she couldn’t help but close her eyes. She heard someone shouting in her ears, as her hips continued to writhe and jerk violently, bringing her constantly throbbing pussy into contact with Anne’s relentless mouth and tongue. She made herself look up and thoroughly expected Anne to also be above her moaning and shouting, but quickly realized it was her own voice she heard as the older woman was shaking her head from side to side, then alternating a swirling tongue around her twitching clit, completely preoccupied and seemingly loving every bit of her task in making Ann Walker completely lose her mind, in a good way.

Anne moaned loudly as she lapped up the blonde woman’s liberally flowing sweet nectar. Her tongue flattened out and she parked it right directly on Ann’s clit, just holding it there, feeling it twitch and jerk. Making her own, dying-to-explode-clit, throb in sympathy. She told herself she’d deal with that soon, but for right now, this was enough. Making Ann thoroughly come undone was the only thing she cared about and if she was struck by lightning for doing what she was doing right now, she would surely die a happy woman. As she felt Ann’s clit disappear she placed a kiss on it and moved down to her impossibly wet opening and dipped her tongue into it just slightly. That elicited more groans and gasps from woman above her, and she couldn’t help smiling around what she was doing. She loved pleasuring someone who would loudly give her feedback and Ann was one of the loudest women she’d been in bed with thus far. As she felt the blonde’s throbs diminish around her tongue, she knew that she wouldn’t be able to take anymore pleasure out of her for at least a few more minutes. As Ann loosed her grip around her head with her thighs, she was able to hear clearer and began to think if it was possible for the neighbor’s to hear the younger woman’s shouts. Still keeping her tongue just inside her wet opening, she waited a beat more to go slightly further within those still grasping walls and heard another gasp. Anne felt Ann’s hand come back to the top of her head and smoothing over her hair. When she felt her fingers thread themselves in her brown locks and pull gently she realized it was time she moved off and placed a loving kiss on her pussy lips, her pubic bone and then her pubic hair. A thought came to her of making Ann cut a lock from to give her as a memento in a locket. She chuckled internally, as she remembered she had once read that lovers did that back in the eighteenth century and had laughed at it for being creepy sounding. Now she finally understood why people did things like that.

Ann was slowly coming back to consciousness, awed that she didn’t completely pass out, but realized that she had disobeyed the older woman’s orders and had shut her eyes. She hoped she wouldn’t be cross at her, but she just couldn’t stop herself, the pleasure had been all too much and was making her very tired now. In the moments following when her orgasm had crested and then came crashing down, it had felt like someone took off the top of her head and was pouring the Veuve Clicquot champagne onto her brain directly. She had reached down to pull Anne up, because she wanted to give her a kiss to thank her for doing that, because she couldn’t form the words and did not feel she had the voice to speak them. The giddy feeling in her brain didn’t stop for a good long while and she laughed as she felt Anne give final kisses to her nether regions.

Anne slinked up the spent woman’s body, sidling up along her side, not wanting to crush her too directly, but having a burning desire to see her face up close. She waited a few moments until Ann was able to open her eyes and focus on her. The brunette woman looked deep into her blue/grey unfocused eyes and Ann again felt a jolt of pleasure to her core.

The younger woman saw a curious look come over Anne’s face, almost as if she were shy about something. When she noticed the brunette look down to her lips and then shyly look back up to her eyes, she realized that Anne wasn’t sure if she would want to taste herself on her lips as they kissed. Before she let Anne have one more moment of doubt, she snaked her hand up behind her neck and pulled her down to a thankful and passionate kiss. When they needed air, Ann dropped back onto the pillow and pressed her thighs together, basking in the warmth and afterglow of the feelings she just experienced. She felt Anne lower her head and take a pink nipple into her mouth and another gasp and moan escaped her lips. She remembered the way Anne’s darker nipple tasted and felt within her mouth and wanted to explore that again, promising herself she would when she had the first chance to.

Anne delighted in the moans, groans and gasps that her mouth was eliciting from Ann’s breasts and nipples. She would play in this spot while the younger woman took her little break and then finish her for good when she was ready for her. This next session would also help her take her pleasure and her heart sped up at that thought.

As minutes passed and Ann’s moans grew more needy at her ministrations, Anne could feel the movement of the blonde’s hips as they raised and lowered slightly on the bed; she instinctively knew that moment of readiness had come. She pulled her lips off of a particularly tasty nipple and heard a frustrated groan as she got up off the bed.

“Don’t you _dare_ leave me…” Ann groaned out.

Anne chuckled as she put her fingers on the zipper to her slacks, “I wouldn’t dream of it, darling, I haven’t gotten my fill of you yet.” She cocked her head to the side and smirked at the woman who was now peering out at her through her fingers.

The way Anne said that and her sultry voice made Ann groan again and close the fingers back over her eyes. She could hear the older woman unzip her trousers and that made her pull her hands away from her eyes. As she focused on what she was wearing underneath of the now discarded slacks she narrowed her eyes and asked, “Are those my…” Suddenly stopping, confused. Surely, they couldn’t be, she had lost them somewhere in Catherine’s apartment… _surely_.

Anne smiled, “Your knickers?”

Ann nodded and looked at her curiously.

“Yes, I…borrowed them…”

“What?”

“Yes.”

“When?”

“Whilst you were showering that one morning at Catherine’s, my love. I had to nick a pair of yours…mine were…” She looked a mix of both ashamed and proud as she said, “… _absolutely ruined_. I had to throw them away.”

“What?” Ann was astonished, more so from how incredibly hot the thought of Anne wearing her underwear was, then from the fact that she took them without asking.

“Yes, sorry, I figured I’d go home and wash them, return them to your lingerie drawer when I…spent the night and you would never be the wiser, but this idea seemed…” Anne bit her bottom lip and looked like she felt a little bit dumb for thinking this would have been the better option.

“Absolutely, mind numbingly hot?”

“Really?”

“Oh, god yes, Anne…”

“What my darling?”

“I’ll never get the image of you in my knickers out of my head and I’ll just walk around in a constant state of wanton arousal for the rest of my natural life.”

“And that’s a problem because…?”

Ann started to giggle and stopped abruptly when she saw Anne pull those knickers down. Her throat went dry and her tongue felt about two sizes too big for her mouth, effectively stopping any sound or speech from coming out. She wanted to rise up and help her take them off but she was frozen, so she just watched the show she was putting on for her, finally removing them with a flourish and discarding them on the floor next to her bed. Getting back up onto the mattress with a sexy, teasing wink. Ann looked closer at her body and saw a neatly trimmed thatch of pubic hair at the apex of her thighs and took note that it was a bit more closely cropped then hers, but thankfully not shaved all the way off. She never understood the appeal of that, though would not have cared a jot if Anne was that way, but it just seemed too…odd to her to not want to have any hair down there to work as nature had intended it to. Not to mention the stubble and ingrown hairs that might get infected. She brought herself back into the land of arousal forcefully and banished all thoughts of infections out of her head.

She needn’t have worried about not being able to forget those quickly going off the rail thoughts, as she felt Anne hover over her body, almost like a lioness stalking her prey. Anne leaned down again and gave her another wet, passionate kiss. She marveled at the taste of herself on the mouth of the woman who claimed her and now that she could think about it more clearly she was astonished at the way she wasn’t in the least bit repulsed by it. She had often thought what that might be like and then figured she could ask her partner to go brush their teeth and wash their face and mouth afterwards, if she didn’t like it, however she was pleased to say that she did like it. She looked at Anne curiously as the taller woman kneeled in front of her legs and took each of them into her hands.

Anne said, “Are you ready for what’s going to happen next? Have you had your heart checked recently?”

Ann breathed out, her voice coming out small and worried, “What are you going to do to me?”

Anne smirked at her and winked, saying somewhere between a whisper and her normal speaking voice, “Rock your ever-loving world, my sweet love.”

“Again?”

Anne chuckled and said sincerely, “Again and again and again and again…”

Ann’s core clenched and she nodded her head, saying, “Yes, please…” And opened her legs.

Anne laughed at her eagerness and took over, “Tell me if you don’t feel okay about this, mmm?”

Ann slowly nodded, worried slightly at what that could mean. She watched, wide eyed as Anne hooked her leg around one of her own and then slowly descend into a split until she felt her vagina touch her own.

Both women groaned at the feeling that induced and Anne lurched forward, keeping herself upright on one arm for a moment while her other hand reached up and took out the tie from her hair that had been keeping it up and throwing it onto the side table next to them. She let her hair fall all around her face, effectively cloaking the two women in their own private world surrounded by her chestnut brown locks.

After another passionate kiss, Anne pulled back up and tossed her head back, holding it at an angle so that her hair was behind her on one side. She looked into Ann’s eyes again and said, “Ready, darling?”

Ann whispered loudly, “ _More than_ …”

Anne smiled and winked, “That’s _my girl_ …”

She undulated her hips, and elicited moans from them simultaneously, both equally caught up in the sensations this incredibly intimate position was causing. Anne started to go faster, holding herself upright as she held onto one of Ann’s legs, taking purchase and using it to help her move the way she wanted to move: hard and fast.

A sweat started to form again along her hairline and she closed her eyes, she was going to come too soon for her liking but it really couldn’t be helped. She only wished Ann would also be able to come again so that she wouldn’t feel so selfish.

As Anne moved on top of her, Ann was trying to think of things to slow down her own desire which was making her speed to another intense climax. But she could only think of what was happening to her right now and that was making her clit throb and pulsate like she hadn’t felt earlier. As Anne shifted herself, pushing Ann’s leg back towards herself and almost fully descended herself on top of the smaller woman, Ann shouted, “Oh! Christ! Fuck!”

That only spurred Anne on and made her forget her original plan of slowing things down and taking time her time.

For her part, Ann didn’t really like cursing, especially taking the name of the Lord in vain in the same sentence. But this action was unearthing something in her that she couldn’t hold back any longer. Again, an unholy sound came out of her mouth and she reached out to pull Anne down to her. Which she gladly obliged her in, because even if the older woman had wanted to, she wouldn’t have been able to stay upright much longer. Ann’s strength had come from somewhere other than their current world and her hips quickly moved to meet Anne’s blistering pace.

As Ann came undone again beneath her, she felt her own orgasm rise very high, crest and hold for a few moments until she heard Ann cry out her name over and over, clearly at the height of her passion. Anne dropped fully on top of the blonde woman and let herself be taken by her orgasm, shouting into the pillow behind Ann’s head until she was completely spent and couldn’t move any longer. They held on tightly to each other for many moments as the feelings raged through them and they undulated against each other ever so slowly, trying to squeeze out the last drops of pleasure.

Ann hugged the brunette to her impossibly tight before reluctantly letting her get up off of her and fall over onto the bed beside her. She watched rapt as Anne put her hand over her mound and cupped it, clearly marveling at the feelings it had just produced. Ann was extremely proud that she had helped in some way to make that happen. Anne looked over at her, touched her chin and then rolled back over, to capture her mouth in a sweet and thankful kiss.

They slowly came down off of their high after their kiss and held onto each other as they settled in to take a much-needed nap to restore their strength.

The last thing that Ann Walker heard as she could no longer fight off the sleep that came to claim her was, “I love you, Ann…”

The sigh that the younger woman let out was one borne of a thousand silent desperate wishes and prayers that she had made over the years, to hear those three little words from the love of her life.

Anne watched as Ann struggled to fight off sleep, a smile forming on her lips as she realized Ann’s own lips were also smiling from the fact that Anne said those magic words. The brunette reverently watched her for a few more moments, bending down to kiss her lips sweetly and then snuggling into her, letting herself fall into a restorative slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #hedgehog #That'sMyGirl #OtherThingsI'veForgotten and #bonkbonkbonkbonkbonkbonkbonkbonkbonkbonkbonk


	13. And Then...Stay All Night?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 🎶 Because the night, belongs to lovers, because the night, belongs to the Ann(e)s... 🎶

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW or even possibly home. But you do you!
> 
> *sips hot chocolate with a big smile on my face* Ahhhhh...
> 
> *posts chapter then dies* 
> 
> 😀
> 
> You have no idea...none! On this, Monday from hell...o, (let's be positive people, shall we?!) Monday from hello! 
> 
> Hey, don't ask, don't tell! 😉

Anne was dreaming, that much she knew, but what had been a pleasant enough dream about walking into Halifax with her sister, turned into something more distressing. A cat must be hurt somewhere, but they couldn’t find it and it was really starting to bother her. She was out of breath as she ran over to the wall where she thought the sound might be coming from and scaled it. Marian called to her in a voice that sounded a lot like Ann’s.

“Anne…” Marian’s voice was needy sounding, but she couldn’t focus on that, she was trying to find the kitten that was in need of her help. “Anne…are you awake?”

_‘Marian…hush…I’m trying to follow the…sound…’_

“Anne?”

Anne’s stomach felt moist and like she had a weight on it. She looked up at Marian, who was now wearing Ann’s face.

Marian/Ann said, breathlessly, “Anne…I _need_ you…”

Anne’s eyes flew open and struggled to focus. She could tell something was on top of her. _Someone_ was on top of her and took her just a few moments for the fog of her brain to lift and realize that it was Ann on top of her, sitting on her stomach and moaning softly.

“Ann, is everything alright?”

“You’re up…”

“Yes, I’m up, are you okay? What’s the matter?” Anne had an idea of what the matter was, since she also realized what the wetness on her stomach in her dream had been about, but she wanted Ann to say it. To verbalize what she needed.

“I _need_ you…” Ann gasped out after her quiet, but desperate sounding declaration.

Anne narrowed her eyes and looked down to where she saw movement. Ann was touching herself.

‘Oh, Jesus Wimbeldon Christ…’ Anne thought, her vision suddenly razor sharp and her mind clear, save for thoughts of what Ann was doing. Her core clenched as she saw the blonde woman cup her mound with one hand and her left breast with the other, rolling a nipple between her thumb and forefinger. She couldn’t clearly make out her face, but she could sense her vulnerability, like she probably had thought and fretted about this act a long time before she got up on Anne’s stomach and started touching herself. The brunette closed her eyes as she felt her pussy throb a little stronger, as those thoughts started to invade her brain. Feeling the need to be in closer contact with Ann she quickly sat up and took the nipple the younger woman wasn’t worrying with her fingers, into her mouth. She smiled slightly when a loud gasp was expelled from above her. She lovingly swirled her tongue around the warm, erect nipple and then bit down slightly, her core clenching sympathetically as she heard another gasp and breathless moan from Ann, who had stopped playing with her own nipple and threaded both hands in Anne’s hair, pulling her closer into her chest. After a few moments of laving and sucking the nipple in her mouth, she moved off onto the next one, smiling again as she first heard a short, frustrated groan and then another loud gasp when she took the other nipple into her warm wet mouth.

Ann continued to grind herself on Anne’s lap, trying to take purchase on any bit of flesh to get more pleasure to her own wet center, but it was frustratingly insufficient and she blew out an exasperated sigh.

Anne stopped her ministrations to her nipple and pulled back, looking into up into her face, she asked in a sultry whisper, “What do you need, my darling?”

“I need _you_ …” She said, breathlessly and snaked her hand in between them, “… _here_ …” she said, cupping her mound again.

“Where? I can’t see…” Anne had a hint of mischief in her voice, but she was also getting really excited.

Ann became frustrated again and groaned, she didn’t want to play games, she was hornier than she had ever been in her life due to most of the dreams she had since falling asleep, were of Anne touching, kissing her or ravishing her completely. She let out another frustrated groan and said, “Please, I need you, don’t tease…”

Anne’s heart broke a little at that, she didn’t want to ever hurt this angel and while there were times she’d love to tease, the frustrated sound to Ann’s voice and the abject need that she heard there, was making her sober up, even though she hadn’t been drunk.

“Can we turn on a light, my love? I want to see you.” Anne said, her voice full of patience and understanding and a little need.

“Yes,” Ann breathed out, “…just…touch the…lamp base… _once_ …”

Anne lay back on the pillow again and reached over, doing as the blonde woman had instructed. The light it gave bathed the room in a soft warm glow and her heart skipped about two beats when she saw Ann more clearly. Her eyes were almost closed completely, slightly open but not focused on anything except the desire coursing through her. Anne’s clit jumped as she watched the younger woman cup her sex, trying to get more friction onto it. She wanted to be in charge and instruct her not to touch herself again, but she knew from Ann’s earlier plea not to tease her, that it wouldn’t be well received. The brunette woman reached out and stroked the sides of Ann’s thighs. She thought about what she’d love to be able to do to her, especially from this position and it make her clit throb and heart jump as she lay there thinking how Ann would react to it. She decided to throw caution to the wind.

“Ann, my darling, do you think you can slide up here, towards me?” Her voice was steady and clear, with only a soothing lilt to it.

Ann’s eyes opened and tried to focus on Anne’s face, thinking about what she was asking her to do. She bit her lip as the information got to through the fog of desire and smiled slightly. Anne nodded at her and smiled as well. In a moment, the look on Ann’s face turned worried.

“What’s the matter, my love?” Anne asked, keeping her voice comforting, trying to make her as relaxed and comfortable as possible.

“Y-you…you want me to sit…you know…on your…your _face_?” Ann asked, whispering out the last word. The sound of her voice coupled with her words let Anne know that she was uneasy about it, as she probably had never done anything like this before in her life.

Anne nodded her head and said, her voice still steady, letting Ann know that she wasn’t worried in the slightest about the position.

“Yes, darling, but only if you want that…I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable in the slightest. You tell me what you need and I’ll do that.” She said, all the while stroking the outside of Ann’s thighs soothingly.

Ann’s face looked relieved as she gave it some thought, biting her lip again, clearly becoming okay with the position and finally smiling.

“I’d like that…”

“Good,” Anne nodded and smiled back at her, “Can you move closer to me, or do you need help?”

“I can…manage…but…I may need help…”

Anne smiled deeply at her and nodded, reaching out to her with both hands, which Ann gladly took purchase on.

“I’ve got you, come forward…” She said, letting her arms go wider to give the blonde woman room to move closer to her, then narrowing them as Ann got closer to where she wanted her; directly above her face.

“Hold onto the headboard, my love…” Anne said, and waited for her to do that so she could let go of her hands. Her nostrils flaring at the scent of Ann, making her mouth water.

Ann didn’t immediately let go and it was making the brunette worried that she was having second thoughts.

“Can I…do you think…would you…”

“ _Ask_ , all you have to do, my angel…is ask…”

“I want to kiss you, before we start, please…”

“Of course, I would like that, very much…” Anne said, and let go of her hands, so she could scoot back a little.

Ann dropped down onto her hands, which were on each side of Anne’s head. She leaned down and captured the taller woman’s mouth in a grateful kiss. Its gentleness turned quickly into something wanton and hungry as their tongues swirled around each other. This time Ann didn’t feel the need to win any dominance like she had previously, she allowed the brunette woman’s tongue to enter her mouth, imagining it was somewhere else. As Anne’s tongue swirled around her own, her pussy walls clenched strongly and she gasped into the taller woman’s mouth, sucking hard on the tongue that had momentarily stilled as she expelled the air from her lungs. She pushed her lower half into Anne’s stomach, slicking the skin with her wetness and trying again to take purchase on the taught flesh in order to seek out those pleasurable feelings again.

Anne took quick action when she felt the blonde woman, again, trying to bring herself to orgasm on her stomach, she moved her hands from behind her back to her upper arms and pushed Ann to an upright position, ending their kiss.

“What… _why_ did you do that?” Ann breathed out the question.

“Because, darling, you only asked if you could kiss me before we started, not come on my stomach…”

Ann’s eyes fluttered closed involuntarily as the visuals of that were playing out in her head.

Anne continued, “Besides, I’d much rather have you do that in my _mouth_ , on my _tongue_ , then on my stomach…don’t you agree?”

Ann sighed out. “ _Yes_ …sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, my dear one, just let me do this for you. Now, I’m going to pull you closer to where I want you, will that be okay?”

“Yes…”

“And…I have to ask, are you okay with…” Anne suddenly got curiously shy, she didn’t really know why. She hadn’t been shy about sex for a very long while so she forged ahead because this was about Ann’s pleasure and she wanted to make the most of it for her, “…are you okay with more penetration?”

“More?” Ann asked, still breathless, “What…what do you mean?”

“My tongue can feel rather long…and I don’t want to do anything you’re not comfortable with…but it’s something I want to do with you. However, if you are against that kind of penetration, then say the word and I won’t do it, okay?”

Ann was grateful for such a concerned and understanding lover…she’d never had that before and it was making her feel a little emotional. She had to get the thoughts that were springing up out of her mind or she’d start to cry and Anne would stop what she was doing. In answer, she moved forward towards the brunette woman’s mouth and took hold of the padded headboard, getting into position.

“Please, my dearest, I need you to do that, I need your tongue…I…I’m _yours_ …”

Anne closed her eyes and said what must be the third silent prayer of that night, to the gods and goddesses, for giving her this opportunity with Ann Walker. She was also feeling a bit emotional about that statement of Ann’s, no one except Eliza Raine had given themselves to her so readily. So completely. And now she herself had to stop those thoughts from going further or she’d also give into tears and frighten Ann. 

“Hold on tight, darling, I don’t want you falling over.” Anne said, as she held her hips more firmly in her hands and pulled Ann down further, kissing her pubic mound. She was still thoroughly entranced with it and she had to pay it some reverence before moving her tongue forward to run through the blonde’s slick folds.

Ann gasped loudly and closed her eyes tighter. Her opening was already spasming wildly and suddenly she was _craving_ Anne’s tongue there. She didn’t have to wait for long until she felt the older woman’s tongue pressing at her slick hole and banished every other thought besides what the feeling of the insistent tongue was doing.

Anne pulled back slightly and smiled when she heard the frustrated groan from above. She placed another loving kiss on the very outside of the blonde woman’s engorged and impossibly wet, vaginal lips and took another deep intoxicating breath. Ann should consider bottling this scent, she thought, it was sure to blow away anything Gwenyth Paltrow tried to put into a candle and sell as representative of her vagina, she was sure of it.

“Anne…please…”

“What, my darling? Tell me what you need…I need to hear it.” Anne didn’t want to tease, she just wanted to do anything she could for this woman and felt like she needed to hear something more than anything else right now.

Ann sighed again, slightly frustrated from not being able to form the right words and also from being a little bit embarrassed about saying them. The fear that Anne would stop what she had been doing if she didn’t tell her what she needed was paramount in her at the moment and so it helped to take the embarrassment away.

“I need you to put…your tongue in me… _please_ …”

Anne’s eyes closed as she heard the last two words whispered in the most pleasurable of voices.

“… _fuck me_ …”

While they were pleading, they were also confident and sure of what exactly was needed.

Anne redoubled her efforts in an alarmingly delicious way and obliged Ann her request. Not giving any sweet kisses or reverent licks to her pubes, she moved her tongue right below her hole, made it as rigid as she could and worked her way into her wetness.

Ann gasped as she felt the muscular organ slide right in. Anne was right, it did feel longer than it should and she wasn’t convinced that she didn’t have some sort of extension put on it before she entered her. It wasn’t too much though, it was just the right amount of soft and hard, but she was a little bit unsure if this action itself would bring her to her climax, though she wouldn’t bet against it. Also, she didn’t really know if she should be moving, or if she should stay still so as not to hurt Anne or smother her in any way. As the older woman’s nose bumped her clit, she groaned and fell forward a little more, taking hold of the headboard more firmly. She didn’t have to wait long to wonder if she should move or not, Anne had taken hold of her hips, in her strong hands and moved Ann on her face in an almost rocking motion, the penetration of her dripping sex, coupled with the bumping of her clit by Anne’s upper lip, was happily giving her more than enough pleasure, so she also stopped worrying about being able to come this way.

Anne happily let the woman above her grind on her face as she needed, taking her pleasure from her and not worrying about if she could breathe or not. The answer was yes, she could breathe and no, it didn’t hurt her face to have it constantly bumped. She moaned loudly as Ann’s inner walls clenched around her tongue strongly and she knew the younger woman was about to unleash another rush of fresh come onto her tongue. She wanted that in the worst way, but she also wanted to give Ann the best orgasm of her life, so with some reluctance, she used her hands on the blonde woman’s inner thighs to push her off of her face.

Ann gasped and then groaned in frustration. “Why…what…? Anne?”

“I don’t want you coming too soon, darling, I want to make it better for you…”

“Better? No… _how_?” She asked, an evident whine to her voice.

“By holding you off a little, it’ll be more intense and I want you to experience that.”

“But…” She groaned frustrated again and put her forehead on the wall, trying to push her hips down and find any part of Anne to grind on. It was no use, the woman was an absolute rock, she couldn’t get any lower no matter how hard she tried. She almost wanted to let go of the headboard and touch her clit, because she was sure she could come from just a quick, firm press of her finger on it, but Anne’s suggestion was getting through to her finally, she wanted to experience that, she just couldn’t guarantee spontaneously combusting not happening. The truth was, she didn’t want to disappoint the brunette woman and if this is what she wanted to do to Ann, _with_ her, then she’d happily be patient. She thought of maths exams that she had to sit for her A levels in school and that helped tamp down her desire to fall into the abyss of pleasure awaiting her.

It was a minute or so later and Anne still held her off of her face, blowing air onto her hole occasionally, in an attempt to help cool Ann’s glistening with silky, sweet nectar, vaginal opening. When she heard Ann’s breath level off and slow, she waited another minute and then pulled her directly onto her tongue that she had positioned right outside her hole.

The blonde woman gasped again as she felt Anne’s impossibly stiff tongue enter her and it wasn’t long before those familiar throbs were going constantly and she was grasping at the brunette’s insistent appendage.

Anne let her grip loosen on Ann’s thighs, just helping her keep upright but letting her take over the pace she needed. She moaned as she felt a fresh rush of nectar as Ann increased her speed slightly, well and truly fucking herself on Anne’s face.

Ann pushed herself back from the headboard and looked down, seeing Anne’s deep brown eyes looking back up at her. Her hole shuddered again, she was so impossibly close she was sure it would be any moment now. The brunette woman winked at her and moaned again as Ann’s hole squeezed her tongue, the excitement from the eye contact was having an affect on her vagina in delicious ways.

“No!” Ann said, completely exasperated as Anne pulled her tongue out of her wet center again, “Please, Anne…I’m so close…”

Anne marveled at her fortitude; she couldn’t believe she could have lasted this long, especially when she took over and went at her own pace. She blew a kiss at the blonde woman, who had narrowed her eyes at her in frustration. Her heart would have broken for her, if she didn’t know what she was going to be doing next for her. With another wink and a lick out at her lips to thoroughly moisten them, she leaned up, simultaneously pulling Ann down to her and took her engorged clitoris into her mouth, sucking for all she was worth, while alternately laving the front of the hood rapidly with the tip of her tongue. There was no more protest or frustration from the younger woman now, she was too busy being blown away.

As she felt Anne’s lips close around her clit and suck for all she was worth, Ann’s hands shot out and took purchase on the headboard. When she felt her tongue wiggle across the tip of her hood at a blistering pace, she cried out the brunette woman’s name over and over again as wave after wave of impossibly strong contractions beset her wet hole. But still her orgasm seemed to climb to alarming heights, coiling higher and higher as she feared the break would surely, this time, make her explode into a billion pieces. She felt the brunette woman’s tongue lashing at her clitoris with at a break neck pace and she bore down on her face, hoping with a fleeting thought that she wasn’t hurting her, but then all thoughts stilled in her mind, except the one that she couldn’t ignore, the fact that she was coming with such force that she thought the headboard might come off in her hands.

As Ann’s orgasm crested and her clitoris was trying to disappear in seeming self-preservation, Anne wormed her tongue back into the blonde woman’s incredibly wet opening, she thought she might not be able to get through with how tight it had become, but her insistent tongue wasn’t to be denied. Having slid into it and heard Ann’s very audibly satisfied moan, she snaked her hand down to her own pussy, whose clit was aching for relief, due to the actions and reactions of the woman above her.

Anne pressed her clit hood firmly, then slid her two middle fingers up and down for a few quick passes and shouted into Ann’s vagina, as best she could with her tongue still buried in her; her own orgasm cresting and then breaking. Her hips and legs twisted and jerked off the bed, as she stilled her fingers on her pulsating clit, threading through the rush of wetness to feel the throbbing of her hole as Ann’s hole still clenched around her tongue and her nose bumped her clit. There was another shout heard from above and Anne faintly heard the headboard creek and pop. She stopped any ministrations to herself and brought her right hand back up to the younger woman’s hips, to provide her more support, just in case she did indeed break the headboard and couldn’t hold herself upright as she rode what was wave after wave of unbidden and unloosed pleasure. As she felt her hips slow and finally almost stop altogether, she pulled out of Ann’s still pulsating hole. Though the throbs had become less strong, she guessed they would be shuddering through her for a least another few minutes. She couldn’t help the smile that broke out on her lips as the blonde woman reached down and grabbed some of her hair, squeezing it and tugging slightly, seemingly desperate for a kiss.

Ann still held the headboard with one hand as her orgasm’s intensity slowed, thankfully it didn’t break, but she’d definitely have to check and tighten the screws on it when she was back to the land of the fully conscious. She didn’t want to hurt Anne, but she needed to kiss her, it was a strong feeling and she tugged at her hair, in an attempt to convey that. Her eyelids were threatening to close permanently, and she wanted to get a kiss in before that happened.

Anne took the needy woman by the waist and pulled her along her body, back down to where Ann could lay on her and the brunette woman could give her all the kisses she needed. As she pushed her hips for her, she felt the wetness of her core as her dripping hole slid down her stomach, it was positively flooded. She closed her eyes as the licentious feelings that information was causing in her, that coupled with the fact that she was still feeling the effects of her own intense orgasm, had her squeezing her legs together to prolong them. This kiss would be needed desperately for her as well, it would be the cherry on the top of the cream bun, because it was sure to give her some really pleasant aftershocks.

As Ann slid back down the brunette woman’s stomach, she felt her own very pleasurable jolts to her core and once she was in position, she fell down onto her arms, her hands on either side of Anne’s head, while the older woman snaked her arms around her back and pulled her down for a hungry kiss. She remarked that her taste the older woman’s lips was stronger than it had been last night, but still not unpleasant, she was kind of getting addicted to it and then had to get that thought out of her mind. She was now really curious to taste Anne and see what it would be like, would it be that much different? If she wasn’t getting so tired again, she’d love to swing around and find out from the source. Ann pushed up from the kiss and put one hand on either side of Anne’s face, rubbing her jaw, then leaned down and pushed her tongue insistently into her mouth, thinking about what it would be like to do that to her. When the need for oxygen, again, outweighed her need for kissing, she pulled back and looked into those impossibly dark eyes, that were looking like they held enough mirth for the both of them.

“Did you have a good ride up there, Ms. Walker?” Anne said, with a smile.

Ann chuckled through her nose, her face lighting up at the roguish question. She tried to form an equally devilish comeback but couldn’t think of one because Anne’s hands were smoothing over her backside and playing with the flesh of her cheeks there, pulling them apart slightly, then squeezing. After a few moments, the older woman rolled her over and kissed her with abandon again. Ann’s heart did a flip when Anne pushed in closer, capturing her left thigh with her own legs and rubbing her wetness on it.

Anne leaned in for another kiss and tried to eke out another shock of pleasure from Ann’s thigh, it worked and was stronger than she imagined it would be; having her moaning into the kiss until she had to come up for air. The look in the blonde woman’s eyes were that of disbelief and wonderment.

“What is it my darling?” Anne asked, after a few moments looking into her wild and stormy blue pools.

“Just that…what you just did on my leg…”

“I’m sorry, was it too much?” Anne said, starting to pull away. She stopped when she felt Ann’s arms close tighter around her.

“Don’t leave me…don’t you _dare_ leave me now…” Ann’s voice was equal parts breathless and demanding. “I just can’t believe that I could make you feel that way.”

Anne smiled, looked at her more pointedly and said, “Well…believe it Ms. Walker, you make me feel a whole host of things that would probably get us thrown in jail in some of the stricter nations around the world.”

“ _Anne_.” The blonde woman said, looking more serious than Anne would have liked.

“Yes? What is it?”

“I…I…uhh…”

“My darling, just say it, please…”

“I want to uh…” Ann lowered her voice and said, “… _taste_ _you_ …”

Anne had to close her eyes momentarily, her heart was skipping every other beat and she felt a little light-headed.

She cleared her throat before speaking, it was going to break her heart to deny this woman anything she wanted, but she knew that her vagina wouldn’t be able to take that right now and if they didn’t get any more sleep they’d both be in trouble for the rest of the day. Besides, Ann was clearly about to fall asleep and if they started anything and the blonde woman fell asleep during it, she’d have major ego problems for the foreseeable future. So, she did the next best thing she could think of. Giving Ann a licentious and wanton look, she slipped her hand between their bodies and ran the tips of her middle two fingers, coating them in the juices still there. Her heartbeat wildly in her chest as she looked into Ann’s eyes and said, “I can’t give you a taste from the source, we’ll do that some other night, _very soon_ , my love; but do you mind if I give you some from my fingers?”

It was Ann’s heart’s turn to skip beats and her eyelids slid closed as she opened her mouth, waiting.

After giving her twitching clitoris a firm pressing, Anne pulled her wet fingers from herself and brought them to Ann’s mouth, holding them just in front of her opened lips.

The blonde woman’s nostrils reacted to the musky, yet sweet scent and her mouth started to water in anticipation of the wet digits being put into her waiting mouth. When they didn’t appear, she opened her eyes, questioningly.

Anne lifted her eyebrow and smirked.

Ann knew exactly what she wanted and brought her head forward, letting them penetrate her mouth in the most deliciously devilish of ways. Her tongue had flattened out to lave at the tips of Anne’s fingers as she closed her top lips around them, moaning in her throat at the taste that was only slightly different from her own, but just as sweet. As her tongue swirled around the digits, her clitoris gave her a new strong jolt as she slid in between Anne’s fingers and heard her gasp.

Anne’s eyelids hooded over her eyes as she watched this thoroughly sinful display play out before her. The angelic face of Ann, with her blonde curly lashes almost resting on her freckle sprinkled cheeks, practically giving head to her fingers, was quite a sight to bear and her pussy was starting to throb in earnest. A strong contraction caught her off guard as Ann’s moans were becoming louder and she realized the blonde woman was touching herself. Anne closed her eyes tightly and said another prayer of thanks in her head. She remarked to herself that at this rate, she’d have to start showing up to church again.

Stopping all funny or religious thoughts she pulled back and removed Ann’s hand from where she was bringing herself off. The blue eyes flew open and narrowed at her and she smirked at the thought that if she had real daggers in them, Anne would be dead. The blonde woman’s eyes went hooded again as Anne brought her delicate wrist to her lips and placed a soft, sweet kiss on it, then brought the tips of the Ann’s fingers to her lips and didn’t wait for her to press them in this time, she took them wholly into her mouth and sucked off all traces of the juice that had gathered on them. She smiled around them as she heard Ann’s own gasp as she mirrored the younger woman’s earlier actions and gave head to her fingers. She could sense Ann needed another release and shifted their bodies slightly so that they were facing each other on their hips. Taking Ann’s fingers out of her mouth, she brought it to her clitoris, where she needed her most and did the same with her fingers on the blonde’s clitoris.

“Ohhhh…” Ann breathed out.

Anne leaned forward and their mouths jockeyed for dominance as they used their fingers to try and bring the other woman off, in record time, to what both knew would be a shattering climax.

If that were an unspoken challenge, then Ann Walker won, because no sooner then the blonde woman’s tongue was swirling around Anne’s own, the brunette woman was coming apart from the insistent rubbing of Ann’s fingers on the exact spot on her clit she needed it. Her mouth broke away from their kiss and she loudly let the other woman know what her ministrations were doing to her.

“Oh, fuck! Ann!” She gasped out, rocking her hips to get more pleasure out of Ann’s fingers as she fell into the sweet abyss.

The exclamation was like touching a matchhead to a taper soaked in alcohol, it fired up Ann’s clit and she also shouted as something broke inside of her, her own hips instinctively moving back and forth as Anne’s had done, trying to get as much pleasure out her fingers on her clit as she could.

Their mouths came together in another hot, wet and needy kiss that served to stifle each other’s shouts as much as they did to pour as love into the moment as they possibly could.

As it became apparent that all of their needs, finally, almost mercifully, were sated, they both brought their fingers away from each other’s blissed out clitoris’. Ann was the first to quirk her eyebrow in a challenging look and Anne looked at her slightly puzzled, but suddenly gasped as the blonde woman brought her fingers to her own mouth and sucked them in, moaning as she cleaned her fingers of Anne’s juices.

“Oh, Jesus Bloody…you’re going to kill me today, my darling,” Anne rasped out, “I hope you know that.”

Ann innocently smiled around her fingers as she continued to clean them as though she just ate something incredibly juicy.

Anne had to shake her head to get rid of the thoughts that were popping into it. She did however bring her own hand to her mouth and cleaned her fingers of Ann’s juices; she wasn’t an idiot. When that was done, she wiped them on the bed as she rolled over quickly to touch the lamp until the light went out. She had a fleeting thought of getting up to go wash them, but she just couldn’t leave the warmth of this woman, who it was apparent was not budging and rolled back over, snuggling into her side.

Anne sighed out and said, “I’m thoroughly wrecked, as the kids say, my sweet angel. If I don’t get at least two more hours of sleep, I will not be able to function and my aunt will be completely vexed with me.”

Ann chuckled at the older woman’s mix of current and old style of English speaking and said with a small pout, “I did want to play a little more, but you’re right, I’m getting very tired and I wouldn’t put it past myself to fall asleep at my desk later.”

The brunette woman laughed, leaning up for another loving kiss and then placed her head on the blonde woman’s shoulder. Sighing out a thoroughly contented sigh that had Ann’s heart soaring again.

The last thing Anne remembered before she fell asleep, was the feeling that she was finally home.

Ann placed a loving kiss to the older woman’s head. She smiled to herself and wondered how long it would be before Anne popped the question. She told herself she wouldn’t move things too fast, or get ahead of herself, but marriage, or at least a permanent relationship, seemed a certainty, now that her life was really starting to really turn around.

Just as she knew it would, when she ever managed to finally snag Anne Lister.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for continuing to support me, my peoples! I will never foresake thou, unless thoueth forsaketh me and really, why wouldst thou? Okay, I'll stop being silly and post this. Have an awesome day/night!!!!


	14. Have You Done This Before?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the morning after...ya know...stuff...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! To quote Dan Levy's really geniuosly (it's a word!) funny father, Eugene, in the movie "Splash!" "What a WEEK I'm having!" I know it's been an age since I posted the last chapter, and as I have said, work has been a complete and utter pain. But then I went and got sick! It seems my sinus was not happy that the weather turned colder and dryer all of a sudden! So, I got one of those pesky sinus things. Half of this chapter has been written since before the last chapter was posted, I just had to get over the sinus pain and the tiredness that took over my life for the last week. I am back at it, so hopefully this marks a good groove. 
> 
> There is a Christmas Collection challenge proposed and mostly wrangled by our dear canary986, so if you would (please) like to take part and write something for it, please email her at canary986@gmail.com and she will forward you all the filthy details. And the not so filthy ones, because ya know, you do you. 😉
> 
> Also, I saw Ammonite (rented on Amazon Prime, thanks Bezos, you had me at 'Kate Winslet and fossils') on Wednesday and if you don't want to be spoiled on anything, please do not read the end notes, I just wanted to say something about one of the scenes. Okay? So, no reading the end notes if you don't want to be spoiled. Capice? 🤌🏼

Anne was the first one to wake. Something felt odd to her about the room and it wasn’t just because it was an unfamiliar bedroom and a certain smothering, slightly snoring blonde was completely draped all over her. As she blinked open her eyes, she realized what it was about it, there was too much light in the room; something told her it was later than it was supposed to be but that couldn’t be it really, she had set an alarm on her phone. Reaching over to said phone, currently stationed on the bedside table she pulled it to her, trying not to disturb Ann too much. She placed a kiss on top of the sleeping woman’s bed tousled head and drew her in closer with her left arm, as she brought up the display on her phone and looked at it. What she saw frightened her.

“Ann…” She shook the blonde woman as gently as she could, while still being urgent, “ _Ann_?”

“Mmmm…no…” Came the groaned reply.

“Ann, darling…what time do you have to be at work?”

“Mmmm…I quit…” The younger woman said, as she burrowed herself more into Anne’s side.

“You’ve done no such thing… _now_ , what time?”

Ann tutted and groaned again, but sensed the older woman wasn’t going to give this up. Sighing, she said, “Eight thirty, well faculty need to be there by eight fifteen, why?”

Anne threw off the covers and said with purpose, “That means you have exactly forty minutes to wash, dress and eat something before you’re late.”

“Sod it…” Ann said, and tried to pull the covers back over herself and tunneled slightly under Anne when she couldn’t quite get them back up all the way, “Let’s just stay in bed all day, no one would care.”

“Are you joking? You’re forgetting, my sweet one, that your boss is a friend of my father’s and my aunt would certainly get wind and if I’m seen to be interfering with your work then that means I’m up to my old tricks and I can’t have that.”

Ann sighed and tried to get even closer to Anne, reveling in her soft smooth skin, trying to warm herself upon it. “But dearest…I’m tired and I thought maybe…we could…you know…”

“You can’t…my darling and when you go to walk, you’ll understand why.”

Ann furrowed her brow and then remembered something Anne had said, “What time is it exactly?”

“Seven seventeen by now, I should expect.”

“Why only forty minutes, surely it should be forty-five.”

“Forty-three now…”

“Okay but then why only forty?”

“Thirty-eight…”

Ann made an exasperated noise and asked, “Why only _thirty-eight_ then? Why are we losing a whole five minutes?”

“Because I thought, after last night and the reprise in the early morning,” Anne smiled rakishly and lifted her right eyebrow, “…that you would want to spend at least five minutes of your morning, kissing me like you mean it.”

Ann opened her eyes wider and smiled at the brunette woman, whose mouth was in a wanton smirk, her eyes also taking on a certain mischievous glint, that she was largely becoming obsessed with. Her own eyes went a little dark as she realized she hadn’t brushed yet.

“I suspect by your sudden worry that you think I care about your morning breath, yes?” Anne cocked her head to the side and nodded in the affirmative, to her own question, as a small, embarrassed smile popped up on Ann’s face, “Well, Ms. Walker, I came prepared…here’s a mint…”

The blonde woman looked to Anne’s hand, but didn’t see anything in it, she looked back up to her face and cocked her head, puzzled. The older woman stuck out her tongue and Ann snorted a laugh out as she saw two small white mints sitting on the very talented appendage. Anne moved forward and encouraged Ann to take one of them by rolling the other to the side of her cheek and then offering the lone mint to her bedmate.

“Mmmmm…” Ann moaned, as she accepted the tongue with the mint into her mouth. She marveled at the strongly curious mint’s power and the feelings that Anne’s kiss was stirring in her, so quickly, so intensely. As she felt the same rhythm of the strokes against her own tongue, that were used on her most intimate of parts only a few hours ago, she was sure she could convince the brunette woman to give up her insistence on Ann going to work. She put her hand on the back of Anne’s head and pulled her in closer, when she had felt her try to pull away. However, she wasn’t able to keep her there, the older woman was just too strong and she finally pulled away completely.

“No…we simply _can’t,_ darling. As much as I want to…my Aunt expects me back by ten o’clock and I can’t disappoint her.”

Ann was slightly mystified at how she could tell her inner thoughts, so soon in their relationship, but her sign was an understanding one, even though it ended in a pout and she nodded her acceptance, leaning in for another kiss. She tried to keep this one as chaste as possible, and failing, before getting up to go shower.

Anne let the younger woman’s tongue slip in and sucked it wantonly, trying to convey that good things awaited Ann, if she was also good, that is.

The blonde woman let out a groan as she felt Anne suck on, then swirl the tip of her tongue with her own. It was making her clitoris swell and throb. She figured she could maybe take care of some of that in the shower and not act like a sex fiend, who couldn’t keep it together enough to go to work. After their kiss ended, she placed another chaste one on Anne’s lips, who followed suit and then they finally parted. Ann rolled over and put her feet on the carpet, vaulting herself off of the side of the bed, she started to move towards the bathroom, but stopped dead in her tracks, after letting out a very audible gasp and swung her head around on her shoulders, looking back at Anne, with a host of accusations in her eyes.

Anne had been watching her get off the bed, enjoying the view and waiting for the inevitable. Her eyebrows raised innocently in question of what the matter, with the younger woman, could be.

“Yes?” She asked, coolly, the hint of mirth in her eyes belying her casually calm and disinterested manner.

“It _does_ hurt!”

“Yes, I suspect it would, for a couple of days at least…”

“What?! Days?! Why?!”

“Why? Only you can answer that, my darling.”

“But...I…I…had plans… _tonight_ ,” Ann said, her brow furrowing slowly and then her lips descending into a full-on pout, “Is there something? Ice perhaps?”

Anne shuddered at the thought of ice on her vagina and shook her head, “No. Nothing, my sweet. Just time and patience,” she said, sagely, and swung her legs off of the bed, reaching for her clothes. “Now, I’ll go make you something to eat so that you aren’t lightheaded and moody by twelve o’clock. Would you like coffee or tea?”

“Coffee, please, there’s already ground in the second cupboard on the left. But I wish you’d come keep me company in the shower…”

Anne cocked her head to the side and smiled, “I would love nothing more than to do _just_ that, but you’re forgetting two things…well, as a matter of fact, three. Your boss, my aunt and your little miss kitten, they wouldn’t be happy with me if I decided on a moment’s dalliance in the shower,” Anne shook her head at Ann who was pouting again, in an obvious attempt to get her to give in, “No, now, I know what happens, because one moment would lead to two, two would lead to three and so on and so forth.”

“You’re no fun,” Ann stuck her lip out again in a last-ditch effort, that was fruitless.

“I, and the aforementioned, little miss kitten, beg to differ. Now, what would you like to eat this morning? Or rather, what would be quick, easy and suitable to eat on the go, if need arises?”

“Bread. Two pieces. Toasted and buttered.”

“Any spread besides the butter?”

“One marmite, one marmalade. Wait for the toast to cool down just slightly, the butter shouldn’t be invisible.”

Anne nodded, impressed and amused at her specificity in her breakfast order, she asked, “Crusts cut off?”

“Only if you don’t value your life.”

Anne nodded, even more impressed, “I shall relay that to the chef. Now, get in that shower and be careful scrubbing your…” She looked down at Ann’s bush and looked back up to see the desire in the younger woman’s eyes, “… _intimate_ parts.”

Ann shook her head to try to get her thoughts on track to her task, as she started to walk towards the bathroom, she groaned a little, suddenly realizing with some trepidation, that she’d have to explain why she was walking funny at work.

Anne chuckled a little as she watched her walk awkwardly to the shower, shaking her head slightly, a mix of sorrow and pride blooming in her heart, for what Ann was going through right now, but also of being the cause of it. Though, she couldn’t be blamed for all of what went on, even though she should have refused Ann’s middle of the night request; but honestly, how could she? She would have sooner complied with a request to burn her journals then to have denied Ann her request for assistance with her need. Well, maybe just the travel ones, but still, while her writing was extremely important to her, this woman, who had surprised her every day since they met again, only a few short days ago, had shot up the importance meter in record time. And it wasn’t just because of nights like last night. Ann was a special person, someone funny, sweet, caring, good natured and yes okay, sexy, but also loving and kind.

As Anne left the room, she decided to pick up her overnight bag, from where it was dropped at the door and run up to Ann’s bedroom to get washed herself, before she started on the blonde woman’s breakfast. Eyeing her wardrobe, she picked out three outfits for her to choose from, complete with shoes, and then hopped into the shower to clean herself, almost reluctantly, washing off the remnants of their amazing night together. As she was letting the water run over her, taking a moment or two and relax, letting the warm water do its thing on her deliciously strained muscles, and then soaping her body, massaging some of the soreness out of the muscles in her neck, she noticed a shadow of a figure in the doorway of the bathroom, the door had been left open so that she could hear Ann come in, but she must have been stealthy. The older woman didn’t turn around and greet her right away, giving her a little show of her own, in repayment of the one she received in the bedroom.

Ann had been standing in the doorway for at least thirty seconds, taking in the toned and tanned form of her stunning partner. She bit her bottom lip as she thought of that being their reality now. Partners. The younger woman was a bit taken in by the sight before her. The water and suds made a really nice trail down the brunette woman’s back, over her heart shaped posterior and running over her hip. She had to again shake her head of the thoughts that were popping up in her brain. She remarked, to herself, that she was doing that a lot lately, but this sight actually, _legitimately_ surprised her. In her fantasies she had always pictured Anne with narrower hips, less shapely backside, exceptionally muscley legs and the reality of what she was currently looking at was bringing new fantasies into her head. The legs were muscled, but you wouldn’t say they were a man’s, neither the hips, nor the backside shapeless, they were all Anne and they were making her heart race and her clit throb almost violently. However, with that last feeling, she also felt a strong jolt of pain and let out a gasp.

Anne turned around and grinned widely as she saw Ann standing there, watching her. But her brow furrowed at the look on the blonde woman’s face.

“Darling, are you alright?”

“H-how will I explain the way I’m walking to my colleagues?”

Anne rinsed quickly and turned off the shower, she spun around and opened the glass door of the shower stall, reaching out to the rack and pulling the towel to her body. She hadn’t washed her hair because she knew there wasn’t enough time to help Ann with her hair, dry her own and get breakfast made.

“I think you can just say it was an exercising accident…”

Ann looked slightly embarrassed, “I’m famous for not really exercising.”

“Too adventurous a yoga pose? I mean I know it’s exercise, but it can be done here…”

Ann nodded and smiled as a thank you, saying, “That might work…we’ve been going to the gym to do yoga during our lunch break, I’ll just say I was trying something new last night and pulled a muscle.”

“Which leg?” Anne asked, quickly.

Ann looked puzzled.

“C’mon darling, you have to rehearse your story and you need to make sure you remember which leg. Otherwise, when the Head Teacher and the music teacher compare notes you’ll be _made_.”

Ann smiled, impressed, “You think of everything…”

“My writing has helped me be quite the criminal, as a matter of fact.” Anne said, nodding her head and looking mock serious.

The blonde woman laughed and looked at the bed. She cocked her head to the side and said, “You really _do_ think of everything.”

“Well, I want to maximize our time. I’m going to help dry your hair, whilst you put on your unmentionables, then you take over and get dressed as I prepare your breakfast.”

“Will you be dining with me?” Ann asked, like they were going to be having an eight-course meal.

“No, I figured I would take my Aunt out and treat her to lunch, so I’ll eat with her then.”

“That sounds lovely, I wish I could sag off and come with you.”

Anne gave her a sympathetic but skeptical look; she didn’t want Mary Sowden to put two and two together and then come down hard on her. No, that just wouldn’t do.

“Let’s get you ready, shall we?”

Ann’s pout was pretty epic now, but Anne only leaned in to kiss it quickly. In a flash she was gone, fully dressed and back with the hairdryer.

After record time getting Ann’s hair dry, Anne raced downstairs to start the coffee, ready her travel mug to fill once that was done and then start on her toast. By the time Ann was down in the kitchen, the brunette woman was finishing the marmite one and then rinsing the top of the jar with warm water, because it had gotten like glue on the threads and was very hard to open.

“I keep meaning to do that, but never have the time in the morning…”

“Well, then,” Anne said, and smiled, “I’m glad to have been of service.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

The double meaning those words and that face Anne made, was testing Ann’s strength and fortitude. She still was not as satisfied or satiated as she would like to have been after last night and she started to worry if she had gone ‘all wrong’ as her aunt and namesake would say to her. She’d never been what you would consider a ‘sex pot’ or anything like that but she feared, she quickly was becoming just that. As she blew on her coffee to cool the liquid before sipping and tried to concentrate on eating her toast, she made a real effort to listen to Anne’s schedule for the day. Her thoughts however ran to her own schedule and what she had on for the afternoon. With a relived smile she realized she didn’t have anything that would detain her past the normal quitting time; no tutoring or meetings, so she asked Anne, “Will you come pick me up after school?”

Anne had been mid-sentence, describing what ideas they had for the front garden of Shibden and how she’d love to have an artist’s opinion of it, but she pivoted smoothly to answering when she saw the look in Ann’s eyes and ignored it.

“Yes, of course, I’m sorry, I thought that was implied since I’ll be dropping you off this morning,” She said, looking at her watch, “…we better get going very soon, darling. We’re on schedule, but one moment of giving in to the thoughts behind your eyes and that’d do us.”

Ann narrowed said eyes for a few moments and watched as Anne shouldered her own bag and winked at her, walking towards the door to the kitchen. She snapped out of it, got up quickly, folded the rest of her toast so it wouldn’t make a mess, picked it up in a napkin that was provided to her, grabbed her bag, and coffee which Anne had put the lid on, while trying to walk as swiftly as she could with her current issue, to catch up with Anne who seemed like she walked on a conveyor belt and was already out the front door. When she caught up to her at the truck, Anne was holding open the door to the passenger’s side, with a smug look on her face. The pain in the blonde woman’s most intimate of areas, the fact that she wouldn’t be able to carry out her plans for this evening and the current look on Anne’s face were all conspiring to make her almost unreasonably angry. She was just about to cut Anne a look that would kill, when the older woman pulled her to her, being careful not to knock Ann’s coffee or toast out of her hands and looked down into her eyes with an enormously sympathetic look.

Anne watched as the stormy seas in the greyish blue eyes raged and then abated until they were slightly less angry. “I’m sorry, darling. I have to confess; I am _thoroughly_ addicted to your charms, but I can’t succumb to them. It would be irresponsible for the both of us to just take the day off and besides, you’d regret it, I bet you already are regretting…”

The last vestige of Ann’s anger melted away from her eyes when Anne said that last sentence and trailed off. “I’d never regret being with you, Anne, _ever_. Please don’t think that, not for a moment. I’m sorry…”

Anne’s dark eyes flew back to the younger woman’s and she said, “No, I’m sorry…sometimes I can be…too much in charge and I don’t explain myself well before taking over. But in this instance, I know that I’m right. I can’t just let everything wait until tomorrow and you need to wait at least a day…”

Ann looked at the taller woman’s lips, in a silent request for a kiss and then looked into her brown eyes again. Anne leaned down slightly and granted her request. When they came up for air, they rested their foreheads against each other and didn’t say anything, because they both knew.

It was going to be _incredibly_ hard to be good.

After just a few moments more, of reveling in the closeness of one another, they reluctantly parted, and Ann started to get up into the truck. Again, she gasped in surprise at the acute pain. Anne didn’t miss a beat, turned the younger woman around and lifted her up into the seat, making sure her legs were safely in front of her and then closed the door. She then ran around to her side, started up the truck, waited a minute for the engine to smooth out and for Ann to sort herself, putting on her safety belt at the same time the blonde woman did and then fixed her mirrors preparing to pull out and head towards the school.

Ann still sat and marveled at the ease in which the brunette woman lifted her.

“Do you lift a lot of weights or something?” Ann asked, quietly, as they made their way out of the driveway.

“Not particularly why?”

“You lifted me up like I was a feather…”

“Well, Ms. Walker, you are kind of like a feather.” Anne looked over and smiled at her while she put the truck in gear to reverse.

“Are you serious? With my thighs?”

“Your thighs are perfect and as a matter of courtesy, could you, _please_ be a dear and _not_ mention your thighs, when I’m meant to be chauffeuring you to work?”

“Sorry,” Ann said, quietly, a small smile on her lips as she sat back more comfortably in her seat, then asked, “So how are you able to lift me with ease?”

Anne shrugged, “I do a lot of work on the estate, digging, pulling, hauling wheelbarrows. When I’m not doing that, I like to climb-”

“Mountains, yes, I read about that last year. You scaled a mountain in Switzerland…I believe.”

Anne was impressed, she looked over, smiled and nodded before concentrating again on the road. “Exactly.” She said, curious to see if Ann would know the details of that trip or if she just skimmed the article that had her interview of it.

“Was it the Matterhorn?” The younger woman asked.

Anne shook her head. “No, the Wetterhorn.”

“I knew it had a ‘horn’ in it.” 

Anne chuckled, but didn’t take that one further.

“I’ve sketched that mountain, then.”

“You have, huh?”

“Yes, the picture, it was in that interview with you, that I read,” Ann lowered her voice as she liked to do when confiding something, “…you know…back in the train, you asked me how I got my inspiration to sketch…”

Anne remembered the conversation and it suddenly dawned on her. Ann probably sketched the pictures that were accompanying the different interviews she gave of her travels.

“Mm?” Anne asked, as the blonde woman trailed off.

“Sometimes magazines.” She said and left it there.

Anne hummed again in reply, but didn’t ask any further questions, obviously Ann wasn’t ready to share details of her work like that, so she said, “Inspiration does come from all walks of life. Take that trip for example, I watched a documentary about the so-called ‘golden age of British mountaineering’, and they spoke about Sir Alfred Wills, the judge of the High Court of England and Wales-”

Ann spoke up, “Oh yes, I know him…”

“How?” The older woman was delightfully curious.

“…he presided over Oscar Wilde’s trial for ‘gross indecency with other male persons’.”

“You saw the documentary?” Anne was again impressed.

“No, I read Wilde’s biography, for one of my literature classes.” Ann lied smoothly, she read it because she had asked Aunt Anne what some of Anne’s favorite authors were.

“Right, well, the sentence he handed down, of two years of hard labour, really ticked me off. So, I looked him up, saw that he lied about being the first person to scale the Wetterhorn and decided I would go up there, in Wilde’s name, put a few mementos in a box and bury them on the mountain for him.”

“I was surprised to find you were a fan of Wilde’s.”

Anne gave a quick sideways glance at Ann, “I don’t know if I’d consider myself a ‘fan’ of anything, more that I admire and I find commonalities with someone. But I do think of how lucky I am to be born in this day and age…” She let out a small sigh and explained further, “…if I had been born in the nineteenth century, as Wilde was, I would have had a _very_ tough time, loving the way I want to love. You know?”

It was Ann’s turn to hum her reply as she chewed on the last piece of her toast, thinking a good long while on that last sentence from Anne. “I suppose,” she finally said, “…though it’s been quite a struggle for me loving the way I wanted to love…”

Anne could here the acute sadness in her tone and she wanted to ask her more about that, but time flew and no sooner did she formulate a question for Ann, then she heard the younger woman say, “Pull into the next driveway to your left, the teacher’s entrance is through there.”

Anne maneuvered the vehicle into the narrow driveway, between the hedgerows and then pulled into one of the teacher’s parking spots, where Ann indicated for her to drop her.

The older woman looked at her watch and said, “Look at that, got you here with five minutes to spare. Now, what could we do in those five minutes…I wonder?”

They looked at each other for a few long moments, both looking at each other’s lips, they looked around and didn’t see anyone getting out of their cars any time soon, so dared to lean in and sneak a kiss. It quickly escalated and Anne couldn’t help but pull the younger woman slightly over the console to get her closer, to thread her fingers in her hair and pull her face closer by putting her hands on the back of her head. It was in this manner that they kept up the streak of amazingly hot and heavy kisses that were started since their lips first met a few days ago. They finally had to come up for air and Ann hugged her, putting her head, on her shoulder, trying to steady her breath and libido. 

After a few moments, she whispered close to the older woman’s ear, “I don’t know how I’m going to get through today…I know we can’t really do anything…but…can you stay again tonight? I just…I’d like to talk to you some more about your interests…”

Anne was semi-stunned, rarely did a girlfriend ever take an interest in her pursuits like Ann Walker did and it was making her heart race.

Just then a car pulled up beside them, on Ann’s side and Mary Sowden, the Head Teacher, got out. She narrowed her eyes at Anne, put her coffee cup on the top of her car and reached in to retrieve her bag and a small box that had some papers sticking out of it.

“Yes, yes, I can…of course…” Anne said, and smiled at Ann, after the blonde woman had lifted her head to look into her eyes. Ann leaned in and they kissed sweetly at first, but it became more passionate just as Mary walked in front of the car, the Head Teacher smirked and shook her head. Anne pulled back from the kiss and reminded Ann of where they were.

The younger woman groaned, tutted and said, “Always being responsible…”

Anne took her by the shoulders, looked seriously into her face and said, “Yes, always being responsible!” She looked more pointedly into her eyes, “If I don’t…people _die_!” She smirked and Ann chortled a laugh, then furrowed her brow slightly, still smiling.

“Is that from a movie?”

“Obviously.” Anne said, with a smile and then let own chortle. “My aunt and I love watching those cheesy action films together and then using the lines from them all the time.”

“Oh, that would be wonderful! I love things like that!”

“I’ll tell you what, tonight,” she lowered her voice to a whisper like Ann had been doing with her, “… _whilst you heal_ ,” she said as she briefly looked down to the blonde woman’s nether regions and then looked back up into her very expressive, blue eyes, “I’ll bring some take-away, a movie and we can devil each other with cheesy lines tonight and for the rest of eternity.”

Ann smiled widely, then said, “Bring the movie and yourself, don’t worry about the take-away, I want to cook for you again.”

“I’d say ‘no, don’t go to any trouble on my account’ but I do _love_ your cooking. Shall I bring some wine?”

“A red and a white will be fine if you like.”

“Splendid.” Anne said and looked at her watch again, which elicited another groan from Ann.

“I’m _going_ , don’t start counting the _seconds_ …”

A smile broke out on Anne’s face and she stopped the younger woman from getting out after she opened the door, Ann turned back and looked at her.

The brunette woman had a serious, yet joy filled look on her face and said, “I had a very wonderful, incredibly spectacular night, that I didn’t think was _ever_ going to be possible in my life again. I mean I had hoped, but you never know the day, you know?”

Ann nodded and smiled sympathetically. “I do know…”

They came together in a sweet kiss and this time it was Ann who pulled back too early and dashed out of the door, pulling her bag along with her, towards the building.

Anne felt sorry for the short laugh that escaped her lips, as she witnessed the younger woman stop abruptly, clearly still bothered by all the festivities last night and then continued, adjusting her gait as she went, until she was comfortable. She felt a blush creep up on her cheeks as she started up the vehicle again and remarked to herself that she must have found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Or at least at the apex of the thighs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 🚨 Ammonite scene spoiler warning 🚨 I warned you!!!! Like twice!!!!!
> 
> Okay, so I have to say this, I had the majority of the sex in the last chapter written since the last week of November and the idea for the main sex act in it since I started this fic, and I only saw Ammonite this past Wednesday, so I just wanted to say that I *did not* take any inspiration for a certain sex position from that. I know that's not like a new position or anything, but Ms. Kate Winslet had Ms. Saoirse Ronan making the head board sing!!!! And I was like "Francis Lee, you dark horse!!!!" Me and him being on the same wavelength for a sex scene? OKAY! And that's all I'll say on that. 😉 
> 
> Now, if you haven't watched the movie, you're not reading this because I warned you right? Right. Go watch it! Yes, it's slow, yes it's about fossils, but it's also about LOVE, longing, it's set in the 19th Century and Gemma Jones (Aunt Anne) plays Kate's mother, so ya know, RIGHT UP OUR DAMN ALLEY! Oh, that reminds me, there's a funny limerick that Kate tells that has the word 'alley' in it. I loved the movie! /end whateverthatwas


	15. I'm At Your Mercy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're still riding the Ann(e)s love train. Keep your eyes open and your hands and feet inside your cars please. Hold onto your hats, too! 🎩👒
> 
> Thanks to all still reading this story, I promise, there will be progression and even an end some day. Though, who can say?! I really appreciate the support of everyone! 🥰

Ann looked at the clock on the wall for the third time in ten minutes and sighed. Two-thirty couldn’t arrive fast enough and she still had thirty minutes to go. As her last class were mercifully drawing the task, she had set for them on the white board in the front of the room, she sat at her desk and looked towards her purse which held her phone. The last text Anne had sent was making her smile, and she tried not to look at it, but she gave up trying to sketch her own task and pulled out her phone.

<💗, 🐈, 🧊, 🚿, 😘, 🍝, 🍷🍷 ~Yours ever faithfully and affectionately, 👅>

A wider grin appeared on her lips as she remembered the night before and she blushed. Just then there was a knock at the door and she pushed the phone in her bag, making it fall to the floor and stood up as the Head Teacher popped her head in the door. The children looked at what caused the noise then saw the Head Teacher and stood up as well.

“Hello, children,” Mary Sowden greeted them, “No need to get up, please as you were, very nice sketches, yes, I see some very good work,” She smiled and nodded at them as she walked a little further into the classroom and then looked at Ann, lowering her voice, “Sorry to disturb, Ms. Walker, would you mind if I saw you outside for a moment? It’ll be quick, thanks.” She smiled at her.

Ann was puzzled as to what it could be about, maybe she had peered into the window, saw her grinning at her phone and now the blonde woman was a little nervous.

“Yes, of course,” She said, not showing any hint of being afraid, “Carry on with your drawing, children. No talking, please, I’ll be right back.”

Mary nodded at her and smiled, ushering her out of the door.

“No need to close the door, we can stand here and you can watch the children this way.”

Ann felt a little odd, if she were going to be reprimanded, she wouldn’t have wanted it to be in front of the children.

“If you like,” She said, smiling at her boss and gave her a nod.

“As I say, this won’t take long…I wonder, would you be able to tutor young Henry Hardcastle today? I know it’s not your day to do so, but it seems his father had to work later than expected and his mother had to rush his brother to the emergency, seems to have taken a tumble and they want to make sure he hasn’t broken anything.”

“Oh, dear…”

“Yes, though, doesn’t sound too terribly bad. If you can’t I understand, I know it’s all very last minute and you might have plans…”

“I…uhhh…not really for the end of the workday…it would just be for the hour, correct?”

“Oh, yes, shouldn’t be too long, as a matter of fact, his father might come earlier.”

“That’s fine, whichever. I’ll stay and tutor him.”

“Thank you so much, Ann. I really appreciate this, I would have done it, but I have a lecture and I had canceled once before. I owe you one.”

Ann was amazed, this was the first time her boss called her by her forename. “P-please, it’s my pleasure, don’t mention it.”

“Well, I’ll let you crack on,” Mary said, smiling warmly, “Have a wonderful day.”

“You as well,” Ann smiled and nodded, “Good luck with your lecture.”

“Thank you.” The Head Teacher said and nodded back.

Ann went back into her classroom, relieved that she wasn’t in trouble for using her phone and still proud that the Head Teacher felt comfortable enough to be on a first name basis with her. She lamented she’d have to break the rules about using phones during class time, she needed to tell Anne that she had to work a little later. She was becoming a rule breaker. Was it any wonder now that she was dating Anne Lister? She smiled to herself at that as she retrieved her phone and texted her girlfriend.

*****

Anne had already headed towards the school, when she heard the ping of her phone. She was going to drop in a little earlier to see her mentor Mary, to wish her well on her lecture and to also talk to her about this morning. As she pulled into the parking lot and parked in the spot Ann had her pull up in that morning, she smiled and it deepened as she remembered the kiss she gave the blonde woman before she got out of the truck. She knew she might catch hell from Mary for continuing to kiss as the woman saw them, but she didn’t do it to be a jerk, she had her reasoning and she would let her know what it was so she wouldn’t go on thinking ill of her. As she read Ann’s text her face only fell slightly, she was sorry for the younger woman because she had been looking forward to getting off of work and spending a little bit of time with Anne before getting dropped back off at home. They both would busy themselves with other chores until it was time to meet up later for dinner and their movie night. Anne surmised this new wrinkle shouldn’t put too much of a crimp in their night, besides, she really liked the Hardcastle boy and she would love to see what task he had next and how he was progressing. She quickly texted a sweetly understanding reply and went off to see her mentor.

*****

Ann was cleaning up after some of the children in her last class, when Jo Anna appeared at the door. The student sheepishly entered with something in her hands.

“Hello, Jo Anna, how lovely to see you.” Ann said, greeting her with a warm smile.

“Nice to see you too, Ms. Walker…”

“Is that your backgammon game?”

Jo Anna nodded and held it out from her body, slightly, showing Ann the cover, “I had a few minutes before my mum comes to get me…I was wondering if you’d like to play a game or two…only if you’re not busy…”

The blonde woman nodded, “Please come in and sit. I’m going to be doing some tutoring in a moment, but I can still play if you don’t mind some small interruptions?”

“That’ll be fine!” Jo Anna said, happy that she would be able to play with and learn from Ann. She unzipped the game and started setting up the board.

*****

Mary Sowden didn’t look up from her paperwork when she heard the short sharp knocks at the door, she instinctively knew who it was. “Come in, door’s open, Anne!”

“How did you know it was me?” Anne asked, as she opened the door and looked at the woman who was still reading through some of her reports.

“Well, I’d know that ‘Lister knock’ anywhere and I saw you drop Ms. Walker off this morning, so either you were going to make her hoof it home to Lidgate, or you were going to be picking her up when she finished work,” Mary looked at her watch, “…and as you’re usually early or bang on the time, I just deduced-”

“A regular Sherlock Sowden,” Anne smiled and nodded impressed as she made her way over to the sofa and looked at it, “Shall I sit here?”

Mary looked up at her and nodded, smiling.

“So, let’s cut to the chase, you know that I know-”

“That you know that I know…” Anne smirked, cheekily and nodded, “Y _es_ , I saw you looking this morning and I didn’t do what I did to be a scoundrel.” The younger woman put up her hands, stopping Mary’s planned interruption, “Let me explain. I didn’t want to call Ann’s attention to you by denying her a kiss. She would have been very upset that you saw us, thinking she was going to lose her job or something foolish like that, then she would have been anxious all day and might have regretted…things and besides, it wasn’t in front of the whole school, it was in front of you and there’s really nothing you can do about it. It’s not illegal, so there.”

Mary smiled impressed and asked, “Are you _quite_ done?”

“Yes…” Anne said, reluctantly, then added, “…well I just wanted to say that it’s not like the others, or most…I think. No, I know it’s not.”

“I am very glad to hear you say that and I understand why you did what you did, I don’t really care about it, I’ve seen worse from my staff and as you said, it’s not illegal. Now, there is other business to attend to besides your love life you know…”

“Oh?”

“I was wanting to know if you were going to Nelly Rawson’s eightieth birthday on Saturday?”

Anne furrowed her brow, “I don’t know, I wasn’t aware that she had a birthday on Saturday.”

“I’ve just got an invitation to it,” the Head Teacher picked it up and showed it to Anne, “It’s at two o’clock, I’m surprised you didn’t know about it already. Maybe you’ll get yours when your back at Shibden.” She handed the card to Anne.

Anne read the invitation, it was a beautiful watercolor print that announced the Rawson’s matriarch was about to be eighty years old and the party was being held at Stoney Royd. It was being given by her sons, grandchildren and other family members. She could see the signature in the bottom corner of the card that the drawing was courtesy of Ann Walker, Nelly’s grandniece. Anne was thoroughly impressed and yet puzzled. Ann had made no mention of the party at all, which was to be held in less than three days’ time. But maybe it was as Mary said, her invitation would be at Shibden when she got back, she decided to not make a thing of it.

“I better get to her classroom,” Anne said, as she handed Mary the invitation back, “I hope to see you Saturday, then?”

“If you’re invited,” Mary gave Anne a playful smirk and a wink, then her face turned serious, “Oh, just so you know, Ann has agreed to stay a little later today. Henry Hardcastle’s father was detained at work and his mother had to go to the urgent care with his brother.”

“Nothing serious I hope?” Anne was worried.

“Just precaution, he had a fall and bumped his head. His mother said he was alert and everything should be fine, they just want to be sure. I have the lecture or I would have stayed, but she was a dear to do it.”

“She did text me that at least,” the younger woman said, with a smirk, she opened the door and waved a goodbye. “Thanks, Mary. See you Saturday.”

“Have a wonderful day.” Mary smiled, at her and gave a little wave back.

*****

Jo Anna’s face lit up when she saw Anne Lister come into the room. Henry, who came in right after Jo Anna had and got started on his drawing straight away, was going to stand but Anne put her hand on his shoulder, keeping him in his seat.

“Please, don’t, Henry. Hello, Jo Anna,” Anne smiled at the young girl, “Very pleased to see you here, with my most favourite game of backgammon I see.”

“Nice to see you again, too and yes, it is,” Jo Anna said, and added with a proud smile, “Look I’m winning…”

“I see that, well done,” Anne smiled at Ann and gave her a wink, before turning her attention back to Henry, “What sketching task do you have today, Henry?”

“Still on perspective, today I’m doing train tracks.”

“Ah yes,” Anne said as she looked at the example Ann had for him to follow and then looked at his attempt, “…very nice…I like your trees there to the side, are those…”

“Fir trees, like our one for Christmas.”

“Excellent, yes…great start.” Anne said and smiled at him, she sat in the chair to his right and took a sheet of paper, a drawing pencil and started on her own version of the tracks.

As Ann was playing with Jo Anna, she looked over at Anne several times watching her sitting contentedly and sketching. She bit her lip and wistfully smiled, curious to see how she did with the task as she didn’t know if she was artistically inclined; she also was feeling those now familiar stirrings, whenever she looked at Anne. That was nothing new really, she had always felt something akin to butterflies in the stomach and need when she saw the older woman out and about town or at Stoney Royd, or that one time at Crow Nest, but now what she felt was more intense. Hungrier. She was hopeful that the fact that she didn’t feel any pain in a certain area was a good sign. In fact, she hadn’t really felt too much discomfort in her nether regions since around lunch time. As she saw Jo Anna finish her turn, she smiled at the young girl and then congratulated her as she realized she had won the game. 

“You’ve taken to my tips very well, Jo Anna,” Ann said, her grin widening, she leaned in closer and whispered, “You’ll be beating Ms. Lister like I do…” She said with a wink.

The young girl smiled and nodded, her agreement. “I’ll be humble about it though, also like you…”

Ann chuckled, and winked at her, “Let me go see how my artists are doing.”

“Do you mind if I try, too?”

“Not at all, come, I’ll get you some pencils.”

*****

Twenty minutes after Mary Sowden had said goodbye to Anne, she walked past the classroom and what she saw when she peered inside, made her smile. Anne Lister, up and coming novelist, former student, friend and mentee, sharing her knowledge about a railway, that went through a mountain pass in Switzerland; as two young students from her school, sat rapt, listening to her expert descriptions of the structure and Ann Walker, her talented art teacher, drawing it freehand on a sketch pad for them and making puppy eyes at her girlfriend as she awaited the next instructions. She sighed relieved, both women had chosen their mate wisely, she could see they were very well matched. Anne Lister with her confidence, knowledge and a passion for life and Ann Walker with her gentle spirit, eager willingness to learn and a passion for Anne Lister. Mary smiled to herself at her joke, shaking her head as she made her way out of the school, thinking that miracles might not be a thing, but for Anne to finally settle down, would be a great one to see happen.

Anne narrowed her eyes as she watched Jo Anna roll the dice in the cup. She quickly calculated the moves and the score, _that was it_ , second game lost to a pre-teen in the last twenty minutes, it was a blood bath of epic proportions and the older woman just sat and smiled.

“Hello all, I’m so sorry, Ms. Walker,” Rachel Hemingway, Jo Anna’s mother said with an exasperated sigh, “I didn’t mean for you to have to wait with Jo Anna, you could have just left her to wait out front.”

“Not a problem at all, I had to do some tutoring earlier and that just ended about five minutes ago, so it’s been no trouble.”

“Thank you,” Rachel smiled gratefully, “Oh and we’ll be seeing you on Saturday, for your Aunt’s eightieth, Elizabeth’s just told me about the invitation.”

Anne, who was helping to pack up the travel backgammon game, looked over discreetly at Ann to see her reaction, it was one of puzzlement at first and then something dawned on her face and she was a little bit mortified. She recovered quickly and said, “Oh, yes, definitely. I’m glad you got your invite. I am _so_ looking forward to it.”

As Ann turned around to put her supplies away, Anne saw a quick widening of the blonde woman’s eyes like she had just been caught in a lie. She didn’t say anything.

“Mum, I beat Anne _and_ Ann at backgammon.”

“Ooh, have you? Well, that’s wonderful, we should put you on the performance circuit. Don’t they have gaming teams?”

“Mum, you’re so old, that’s for video games, not board games.”

Anne smiled at the exchange, “You’d be surprised, Jo Anna, I’ve seen some of the most heated players in the world at scrabble tournaments. And yes, they play them on boards, not screens.”

Jo Anna looked skeptical at first, then smiled, impressed. After she was finished packing her knap sack, they said their goodbyes and left.

Just then a text came in for Anne and she looked at her phone, almost at the same time that Ann got a text as well.

Anne’s was a text from her sister.

<Marian: Got an invite for Nelly Rawson’s 80th, I’ll be down on Friday night, need the use of my bedroom, can you make sure the sheets are clean?>

Anne smirked and texted back, <Define clean.>

<Marian: Ha Ha…>

Meanwhile, Ann was furiously typing on her phone, her brow furrowed and when she stopped, she sighed exasperatedly.

“Something the matter?” Anne asked, concerned.

“What? Oh, no…nothing…”

“No?”

“Well-”

Ann was stopped by her phone pinging again and she looked down at it, sighing another frustrated sigh.

“I…uhhh…have to…”

Anne smiled at the younger woman, then furrowed her brow, “You know, it’s curious, Marian and Mary Sowden have both told me they have been invited to Nelly Rawson’s-”

Ann nodded, “Eightieth birthday. Anne I’m _so_ sorry! I forgot!”

“Why are you sorry? You didn’t forget _my_ birthday…”

“Yes, but…I _did_ forget to give you and your family at Shibden their invitations as well,” Ann looked contrite and continued, “…and I forgot that I had to order the extra chairs and tents for the back garden…”

“Uh oh…”  
“Yes…uh oh, now I’ll be spending the next few hours getting that all sorted…”

Anne felt sorry for the younger woman and asked, “Anything I can do to help?”

“No, not really, there’s just some calls to make…I can handle that on my own… _surely_.”

There was an edge to her tone that made Anne’s brow furrow again, obviously this was frustrating for Ann and she was getting a little irrationally mad, but she wouldn’t add to her anger or try to provoke her into something. She’d be mature about it and rise above the fray. Hopefully.

Nodding and smiling at Ann she said, “Of course…let’s get you home. I’ll drop you off and you can get started. Please, let me know if I can be of _any_ service.”

Ann smiled back, appreciating the fact that Anne didn’t take the bait just a moment ago and get into any petty fight. She didn’t really mean it, but it had been a habit since her childhood. Snapping at someone who was innocent and then getting into a fight with them. She didn’t do it often, because mainly she was the one who was being snapped at, but there were times when her anger got the better of her and she couldn’t help it. It was most likely due to her upbringing and the way her father treated her and her mother.

“There’s nothing you can do at the moment, thank you. Besides, obviously, giving me the ride home and telling me about your day,” She sighed as she gathered her things and then slipped her arm through one of Anne’s, walking with her to the truck. “Did you have a good lunch with your aunt?”

“Actually, it was my aunt and my father and yes, it was very nice. I must confess, I have been neglectful too, I forgot it was my father’s doctor’s appointment today, so we all went to that and then had lunch together.”

“Oh, right, how did it go?”

“Not as scary as it sounds, they seem to think that the operation he needs to have will be a success, if he has it within the next few weeks and doesn’t let it drag on as we Listers are famous for sometimes.”

Ann chortled at that, “We Walkers too…”

“So, two peas in a pod, it seems. Well,” Anne sighed, regretfully, “I propose we give tonight a miss, darling.”

The blonde woman stopped walking and groaned.

Anne stopped when she felt her arm being pulled because Ann had stopped. She turned around and the younger woman pulled her in closer.

“ _Don’t_ …you can still come over tonight, can’t you?”

Anne turned her mouth down at Ann’s heart-breaking pout. “I would love to, but the thing is, I _shouldn’t_. We have both been neglecting things-”

“That’s not true!” Ann said, quickly cutting her off, then a thought occurred to her, “Oh no, _tonight_ …” she said and trailed off, looking guilty.

The older woman looked at her with her eyebrows raised, “What about tonight?”

Ann sighed, frustrated, “…the knitting circle at the church, I have to be there because I was going to teach them this new stitch I’d learned…okay, you’re right, it _is_ true…”

Anne nodded, knowingly, and finished her original sentence before Ann had cut her off, “…and we both should get some proper sleep.”

The blonde woman relented and smiled sweetly as she leaned in and gave her girlfriend an equally sweet kiss for being so understanding and for looking out for her well-being. They pulled back quickly, since they were still in front of the school and made their way to the truck, hopping in before they made some sort of a scene.

Ten minutes later they were pulling up to Ann’s house and Anne put the vehicle in neutral, depressed the emergency brake with her foot and looked over at Ann, who smiled a little shyly.

“Wait here,” Ann said, suddenly, as she opened the door to the truck and ran inside, a few moments later she came back out and gave Anne what appeared to be three letters. “The invitations I forgot to give to you, your father and aunt yesterday. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Thank you, my love.” Anne said, as she accepted them and brushed her fingers over Ann’s which caused a shudder in the younger woman, who suddenly sprung up onto the step of the truck and leaned in the window, kissing Anne passionately. As the kiss ended and they both were breathing hard, Ann leaned her forehead on Anne’s, wishing she could just bring her inside, even just to sit on her lap while she made her phone calls.

The older woman was the first to speak, “Tomorrow, we’ll see each other and I’ll stay again, if that’s alright with-”

“That would be…simply… _heaven_.”

“I’ll bore you with my travel tales…”

Ann tutted, scolding Anne in her estimation of herself, “I could listen to you recite the ingredients off of the jar of marmite.” The blonde woman said sincerely, looking deeply into Anne’s brown eyes. 

The brunette woman laughed and gave her a peck on the cheek, not chancing anything more or she’d never be able to leave. She watched as Ann dropped down off of the truck before putting it into reverse and smiled devilishly before Ann turned and walked up her steps. Anne suddenly, loudly, called out, “Wheat extract!”

The younger woman stopped and turned, her brow furrowed in confusion as she looked at Anne in the vehicle backing up.

The brunette woman continued, still loud, “Which contains: barley, wheat, oats and rye!”

Ann’s face broke out into a wide grin as she realized what Anne was doing.

“Salt! Vegetable juice concentrate!” Her girlfriend kept going.

She laughed out loud and then shook her head, as the Anne put the vehicle in gear and drove off out of her driveway, still shouting out the ingredients in marmite.

*****

The first thing Ann had done when she got inside was bang out a text to her cousin Catherine, apologizing for not being more attentive, she had forgotten to call the party supply company to secure the necessary tables, chairs and tents, but she was doing that right now. The second thing that she did, of course, was to call said company to do just that. She was lucky, they had all of the supplies she needed in stock and as she was giving them her credit card information, she heard the ping of a return text, then in the next minute she heard the phone call that was trying to break in. Ann rolled her eyes and apologized to the clerk before asking them to hold and then pressing ‘end’ on that other call, sending it off to voicemail. She finished her payment information and confirmed the delivery details date and time.

She then went up to her bedroom to take a quick shower and change her clothes into something more ‘church knitting circle’ and spied her phone, there was indeed a voicemail for her. She sighed as she pressed the message from her cousin and prepared herself to listen to it. It was loud and she had to hold the phone away from her ear a little.

“Don’t you send me to voicemail! You don’t send ME to voicemail, Annie! I swear, I may have forgotten to send the invitations for two weeks and probably no one will show up to this thing, but you’re supposed to be the responsible one! And now what are the ‘no people’ going to sit on?! Call me back! In fact, if you don’t call me back in five minutes I’m going to-”

Catherine’s message was interrupted by the live version of herself calling on the phone just now.

“Hell- Cate…no…just listen…Cate…I’ll hang up…I _will_ …I definitely will _now_!” She said, forcefully and pressed end on her phone. Sitting there looking at it and wondering what her cousin was doing on the other side of it.

It rang again and she let it ring for a few more seconds before taking a deep breath and answering it.

“Are you done?” Ann asked.

“Yes.” Catherine said, contrite.

“Good, now, I’ve already texted you that I’m sorry. I did get a little lost what with coming back with Anne and then…last night…with Anne”

“Oh…God, was that…did you…and she…”

“Yes.” Ann said, with a smile that widened as the seconds ticked on and she heard Catherine squeal.

“I _would_ have scolded you for not telling me beforehand, but I’m actually glad you didn’t, I wouldn’t have gotten any sleep, imagining-”

“Cate! Don’t you dare finish that sentence!” Ann scolded and then shook the image that brought up, out of her head.

“Not like that, Ann! You know, like…” Catherine stopped, rolled her eyes and then said, “Well yeah…like that, sorry. I just am _so_ curious because of all the rumors and stories out there.”

“Yes, I know, but she and I are together now and I don’t want to be another one of those stories that’s shared around.”

“No, I know. Truly I do and you know that. You deserve more than that, Annie, much, much more and I’ll make sure no one else gossips about you both.”

“You’re a great cousin and best friend, but I don’t think you’re going to be able to stop all the Halifax gossips and the wider net that they cast.”

“You’re right…” Catherine trailed off.

“So, ask me, you get this one time and that’s it.”

“How was it?!” Her cousin asked excitedly.

“ _Incredible_ …” Ann said, reverently, her heart starting to hammer in her chest as she remembered.

“Oh, Annie! Really? You’re not just saying that to make me feel better, are you?”

“No, Cate, I can’t even really…put into words what it was…”

“Well, how are you now, I mean did you even sleep?”

“We did, for a few hours…and I’m a little…”

“Oh, Jesus Christmas,” Catherine said and put her hand over her eyes, “How many times…?”

“Three…”

Catherine shook her head, “And…you _let_ her?”

Ann scoffed, “I mean…we were both present and accounted for, Cate, there was no take and take…well…now that I think about it, I did most of the taking but you know what I mean.”

“Ann! You’re not very experienced, you know…did you tell her that?”

“No, why would I tell her a thing like that?”

“So that she doesn’t go too far. I bet you had…trouble walking today, didn’t you?”

Ann didn’t answer.

“Annie!”

“What?!”

“With what…you know…what happened…”

“Don’t, Cate,” Ann said, closing her eyes and trying to keep the thought of that out of her head, “Please don’t bring that up again. I did what I did last night because the love of my life did it to me and I won’t think about anything else. Should I have let her have her way with me two times in a row last night? Maybe not. Should I have woken her in the middle of the night by grinding myself on her stomach?” Ann smiled, as she heard the surprised gasp from her cousin. “Probably not. Will I ever regret, for one moment of my life, what happened next or anything that she did to me before it? _Absolutely not_.”

Catherine sighed, “I can hear you’re pretty chuffed with yourself and with Ms. Lister’s abilities. The sheer happiness that I hear in your voice makes me _very_ happy, Ann. I just want to make sure you’re not being too-”

“Too what?” Ann asked, defensive.

“Reckless. Letting things slip your mind. I mean, the chairs and things…and yes, I know I completely forgot to send out the invitations until Monday, but that is _completely_ like me, you on the other hand…”

“I know and I promise, it won’t happen again.”

“Has Anne been pressuring you into not going to work to…you know-”

“No! Not at all and it was pretty frustrating, but she’s been the responsible one.”

“Has she really?”

“Yes, why?”

“I don’t know…I just didn’t think…well I know she’s been responsible when it’s come to business, Shibden and the like, but you know…we’ve all heard the stories…”

“Yes, we have, but maybe the stories weren’t all true and then again, maybe she’s changed.” Ann said, defending her girlfriend.

“No, I know, I’m not saying she hasn’t. I’m really very pleasantly surprised and I am very, very happy for you, Annie. Please, don’t take me wrong. I’m on your side you know?”

Ann relaxed, “Yes.”

“I just want to make sure you’re okay. Have you been keeping your therapy appointment?”

“Yes. Next one is Friday afternoon.”

“Good. Now, this party on Saturday. I’m sending Lydia to you in about an hour, she just needs some help with the ribbons for the chairs, are you okay to do that?”

“An hour?” Ann looked at her clock, “Yes, that’s fine. I have somewhere to be at seven though…”

“Another date with Anne?”

“No, as a matter of fact,” Ann said, haughtily. “It’s a date with her aunt and the other ladies at the church.”

“Ooh, you harlot!” Catherine chuckled as her cousin laughed on the other end. Then she asked, “You’re still going to the knitting circle tonight?”

“Yes, why?”

“I wouldn’t have…I’d be dining with that tasty snack of yours and then letting her have her way with me all night.”

“Catherine Rawson!” Ann exclaimed.

“I’m sorry, I know…” Catherine said, not really sorry, she was smiling on her end of the phone.

Ann continued, “Anne Lister is not just a tasty snack! She’s an eight-course meal complete with palate cleanser and a hot wet towel to refresh oneself with and I will not have you denigrate her in that manner!”

Catherine had been laughing since Ann said that part about the eight course meal and now she was full on belly laughing, her cousin could always bring that out in her.

“Careful,” Catherine said, when she had gotten hold of herself a little better, “You’ll make me squeak.”

Ann laughed and said in a child-like voice, “Awww, Squeaky…afraid of squeaks?”

“You stop that right now, Ann Walker. I swear I will…I will…well, I’ll think of something and it wouldn’t be very nice.” She warned.

Ann looked at the time again and said, “Don’t threaten me, Squeaks, I’ve been getting my confidence back and I can be very deadly to a squeaker.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry.”

“Now, I should get going, I need to get something to eat and then I’ll call Lydia and check in there.”

“Sounds like you’ll be busy all night. And that wasn’t a reference to you and Anne Lister having sex…I just realized how that sounded, sorry.”

“You’re quite sorry lately…it’s funny how that’s changed for us, hasn’t it? Aren’t I usually the one saying I’m sorry?”

“Yes, usually, and it’s quite vexing me at the moment. I don’t know whether up is down anymore…but actually, I’m quite happy. I’ve got my Annie back.”

Ann sighed and said, “It’s good to be back, Cate, you have no idea.”

“So, no plans with Anne then tonight? Not even after the knitting circle?”

“No,” Ann said, a little dejectedly, “That’s part of her being responsible. We were supposed to have dinner and then watch a cheesy action movie, but she realized what all I had on tonight and she postponed our plans.”

“Well, that’s good to hear, besides, the way you described your…you know…you’ll need time to heal.”

“Yes, but I did want to just spend time with her, we could have talked about her travels and such. I want to hear about them, firsthand, instead of getting all of my knowledge from a book, magazine or…”

“Her aunt, yes, I can understand that. Okay, then. I should leave you to it. Oh…I guess…well…”

“What is it… _Rawson_?”

“Ooh, your confidence _is_ back…”

“Spill!”

“Well, I wondered…is the lingerie we packed for you in tatters somewhere now?”

Ann laughed, “No, it’s in my unmentionables drawer, I didn’t even get a chance to…”

“She’s _such_ a rake!”

“Actually…it was I who jumped her…at the door…literally…”

“Oh! My! God! Did you even get it closed?! Is the whole of Lightcliffe scandalized?! Are you going to have to move?!” Catherine laid it on thick, she knew, or at least she hoped she knew that her cousin wouldn’t do something really inappropriate.

Ann could tell Catherine was joking, but she also wanted to make sure that she knew that Anne wasn’t the aggressor for all of their sexual escapades, the only thing they had done last night that had truly surprised her was, the…she didn’t even know what the right word was for it, but she couldn’t stop thinking about it. The way Anne had held her leg, then descended on her sex with her own. Remembering her face hovered above hers, the feelings, it was bringing it all back to her and her heart started to pound.

A few moments of silence passed and then Catherine asked, “Ann? Annie? Are you there? Did the call drop?” She looked at her phone and furrowed her brow, asking, “What’s happened?”

Ann finally snapped out of her thoughts, “Uhhhh. Nothing. I just saw something,” she shook her head of the thoughts, “…no matter…what…uhhh…what I _did_ want to let you know is that Anne has been nothing but respectable, letting me go at my own pace-”

“Which, by the sounds of it, is full speed ahead-”

Ann tutted at her cousin and scolded her gently, “Catherine…”

“No, I know, you’ve got a lot of years to make up for, I know. Have I told you I’m happy for you already?”

“Yes, you have,” Ann smiled into the phone, “…and I really do appreciate that.”

“Good, I’m glad. Now, I’ll really have to get going, I’ll have meetings and project deadlines back-to-back all the way up until Friday when I leave. Oh, that reminds me, Marian Lister is being a dear and accompanying me on my trip.”

“Are you taking the train too?”

“No, as a matter of fact, her boyfriend is driving us in his shiny new Mercedes C, those Listers sure do know how to pick them…”

Ann laughed and said, “They do!”

“Okay, m’love, gi’us a kiss…but not like your Ms. Lister gives kisses and I’m off.”

“You’re terrible!” 

“I know, call me Delia…ooh speaking of, I understand my mother has banished her to granny’s for the duration of her stay.”

“Oh, really? Do tell…”

“Well, that Sophie must have gotten on her last nerve. I mean, mother isn’t too happy about the whole Delia liking women…well you know how our parents are, honestly, cave men would have been more understanding, but she’s trying at least. Anyway, Sophie’s been pushing her buttons, like constantly and she said they probably would be more comfortable at Nelly’s. To which Delia is actually delighted because she doesn’t really like to be home, so anyhow, now you have most of the gossip I do, the other is about you and I’m not going to spill.”

“Catherine!”

“I kid, no one dares say anything to me, not if they don’t want go get an earful.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, now, say goodbye, Annie.”

“Goodbye Annie.”

The two women laughed, gave their kisses through the phone and went on about their tasks for the night.

*****

“I thought you would be with Ann until late…” Aunt Anne said, when she saw her niece come into the dining room. She tilted her face to accept the kiss Anne gave her.

“No, she’s got loads to get on with, which reminds me, here…” She held out two letters for her. “I hope you don’t have anything planned for this Saturday.”

“Oh, Nelly’s eightieth? Finally, I thought I’d offended her…”

“No, Ann had the invitations for us, one for father as well there.”

“So, Ann’ll be coming to the knitting circle tonight?”

“Yes,” Anne said, proudly, but a little bit smug too, because she showed her Aunt that she wasn’t holding Ann back from her usual obligations, “…she said she has a stitch to show you lovely, spritely ladies that she learned.”

“Wonderful! I can’t wait, she had told us last week and I really want to learn that stitch, I have something in mind…”

“Uh oh,” Her niece smirked, “I’m about to get another jumper for Christmas, aren’t I?”

Aunt Anne scoffed, “Maybe not! If you’re going to act like that…you might get a lump of coal.”

“Hmm. Fitting. You know, we were in the coal trade many years ago, Aunt, that might actually be a poignant gift.”

“Trust you to take _pride_ in coal.”

Anne narrowed her eyes at her aunt and pointed towards the ground but looked up at the ceiling, speaking reverently, “ _Shibden’s coal_ …provided the necessary fuel for families and wool factories to survive…that _wool_ -”

“Was wooly and scratchy,” Jeremy Lister said, as he spotted his sister being lectured to and tried to help her out. “Are we perchance having dinner now or starving, before you go swanning off to your den of debauchery?”

His sister tutted at him, “Knitting circle, you wastrel!” She turned her attention back to her niece and said, “Sorry, Anne dear, you carry on, I’ll go get the food. Keep talking though, I’m listening.” She said finished, sweetly.

“I’m done, Aunt. I know when I should stop proselytising. I’ve started to even recognise when I do it.” She called after the older woman.

“Very good, dear,” Her father said, then lowered his voice, “Now, I wanted to thank you whilst your aunt wasn’t here, because I don’t want her thinking I’ve gone all soft. _Thank you_ , for coming with us today, I appreciate your concern and feel better now that you know and you’re here to help make decisions.”

Anne stood there, gobsmacked.

Her father lifted his eyebrow at her and said, “Don’t look so surprised, I can speak more than two words together at the same time you know…”

She realized she must have been standing with her mouth agape and she closed it.

“I think…that might be the first time you’ve ever thanked me for something like that.”

“Don’t go getting all misty-eyed or I’ll send you up to your room…shhh shhh.” He said, as his sister came in with a serving dish off food, “Oh, would you look at this…roast chicken breast and brown rice with vegetables…how lovely…”

“Yours is the boiled chicken, Jeremy, the doctors said you had to-”

“Boiled chicken? That’s not fair, doing that to an old man! Isn’t there a law against elder abuse?” He looked at Anne and smirked.

She smirked back, “Yes, there is as a matter of fact, Father,” She winked at her aunt when the older woman shot her a look because Anne appeared to be ganging up on her, “But it doesn’t apply to your sister who is almost your age, perpetrating said ‘abuse’.”

“Oh, I see,” He chuckled, “A loophole. Like those gobshites down at Ten Downing are always finding a way to cock something up with.”

“Jeremy!”

“I’m allowed to say ‘cock’ aren’t I? It’s a chicken…”

Anne just shook her head and chuckled at her father. “Don’t listen to him, Aunt, he’s just trying to do to you what I do to Marian. It’s called _deviling_.”

“He should be horsewhipped for it…” His sister said with a pout.

Anne pointed at her father and raised both eyebrows, “Now, there’s an idea…”

“I’d like to see you try it.” He pointed a finger at her.

“Well, well, well. A challenge…” Anne said, and winked at her father this time.

“Annie!” Jeremy called to his sister, who had gone back in to get the butter and the rolls she made for her and Anne. “Get the spray for my daughter, she’s started to go all wonky-eyed…I think it’s the beginning of rabies!”

Aunt Anne came back into the dining room and waved her hand at her brother, “Oh, you!” Then she addressed her niece, “Now, are you staying to eat with us, or will you take it upstairs, you said earlier today that you wanted to work on some business.”

Anne looked longingly at the table, but her Aunt was right, there were a few things she had been neglecting, namely her emails and she really needed to document the last three days in her journal. She had a lot to write down.

“I should get started on some of my work, but tomorrow, I promise…well wait, I don’t promise, I’m supposed to be dining with Ann, we were going to do it today and then watch a movie but we both ended up having plans.”

“Shame,” Captain Lister said, sincerely, “She’s a lovely girl and were I you I probably wouldn’t have come home at _all_ today.”

Both Anne and her aunt were stunned by the implications that sentence brought to mind and looked at each other. Aunt Anne looked like she was expecting her niece to say something.

“I…uhhh…not touching that with even a _crane_. I’ll take my dinner upstairs, Aunt and please, leave the dishes in the sink for me, as soon as I’m done, I’ll do them.” She said, gathered her plate and drink and went upstairs to read and write. As she made her way outside of the hall, she could hear her aunt scold her father and she blushed as she went up the stairs to her study.

*****

After dealing with all of her emails, one of which was from Mariana, that was a very scolding email, disguised as all a frivolous joke. But she knew Mariana, when she wasn’t getting all of Anne’s attention, she tried to pretend she didn’t care, even though she did. It was funny, but before Ann, she never would have _not_ answered the email back straight away. Been very fawning and apologizing for being M.I.A. and yet now she was waiting to formulate the perfect reply. One that would say she was fine, that things were going well for her and she wasn’t sure when she’d be able to get down to Lawton or back to London to see her. Finally, she was happy about that prospect.

It was getting late, but Anne was determined to at least start her journal entry for two days ago, she was half-way through the day’s accounts when she received a text message.

It was from Ann.

<Ann: My dearest, I’m so grateful for your example of responsibility and that you didn’t stop me from going to the knitting circle, I do so love spending time with your good Aunt. 💘 But I must confess, I’m missing you terribly. 💔 Wish you were here.>

Anne smiled as she read it and thought of a clever reply.

<Where is here?>

<Ann: In my bed with me…>

The reply was rapid and the ellipses were an invitation, not just a wish, surely. But again, Anne didn’t want to be too hasty in coming to that conclusion, Ann might be tired and relishing a night alone in bed.

She waited a few moments more before replying. Mostly, because the image of Ann in her bed was starting to make the hair on her arms stand up and curiously, her mouth to water.

Another text came in before she had a chance to reply.

<Ann: And before you say something like, ‘Your little miss kitten needs a rest.’ She’s had it and is much better, but even if you didn’t want to get into something, maybe you could just keep me company? I’m all alone in this big bed…>

She blinked as she watched another text come in right behind the last.

<Ann: Sat here…being lonesome. 😔>

Anne’s mouth formed a pout and she looked at the time in the corner of her phone: 10:32

Another text came in while she was warring with her inner responsible voice and it made her mouth go dry.

There was a picture of some sort of material, silky, it was pink and had a lace border and in less than a moment more, what the picture was clicked into Anne’s brain. It was taken from Ann’s perspective, and it was a looking down at the lower half of her body. She was wearing a pink, silky, chemise that probably came to mid-thigh when she was standing. At the moment she had hiked it up, exposing the creamy skin of said thigh, her fingers possibly rubbing on the lace which was right above the smooth, tender skin, of the junction where her thigh met her torso.

Anne’s mouth hung open at the sheer beauty of the shot, that wasn’t really showing anything, but showed Anne so much.

*****

Ann sighed and looked at her phone for about the tenth time and willed the screen to pop up a text from the brunette woman. It was a futile effort. There were no more texts from Anne since before she had said that thing about her ‘little miss kitten’ and she thought she had overstepped the mark with that. Now, she was starting to really worry, none of her apology texts had been answered and her stomach churned with worry, as she started to berate herself for being stupid. She closed her eyes and threw her phone onto the bed sinking down in into the duvet and pulled it over her head.

The blackness of her self-made cocoon was helping to soothe her mind, but she still felt embarrassment wash over her in the occasional wave. As she laid there, she tried to remember what her therapist had taught her for moments like these: Thinking of something that made her happy. However, that wasn’t helping her right now, as that thought was usually about Anne and that was the reason, she currently felt embarrassed. How could she be so brazen as to text her some skimpy lingerie to tempt the brunette woman? Hadn’t Ann agreed not to do anything tonight, so that they could get some much-needed rest?

There was a loud sound outside her house, but she tried to ignore it, sometimes she would work herself up into a state over whether these were robbers trying to break into the house. She reasoned that it was probably what it always was: the neighbors putting out their trash bins for tomorrow’s pick up. She’d have to remember to get up early tomorrow to do that, she had forgotten to do it after she got home and she really needed to have the bins picked up. 

Her heart beat out of her chest when she heard a knock at her window. ‘How the hell…what the…’ She thought. ‘My God, someone IS trying to break in.’ She lay prostrate, too scared to move, but then the thought of dying and not talking to Anne again made her bold, mustered up the courage and pushed the covers over, diving for her phone with the momentum. Yes, she knew thinking to call Anne first before the police was foolish, but if anything happened to her, she’d want to at least Anne know what was going on.

Curiously, she heard a phone ringing just outside her window and even more curious was that it was the ringtone Anne had chosen for her. Flo-Rida’s “Low”. It made Ann laugh when Anne suggested that on the train. Her eyes went wide in disbelief and she shot off the bed going to just next to the window, being careful not to stand directly in front of it, she held a vase up for protection.

“Ann?” Came a whispered but urgent voice.

“Anne?!” She said, excited and put the vase on the credenza.

“Can you open the window, don’t panic, but quickly, now. Please?”

Ann flew to the window, threw open the curtains and pulled up the blinds. There just above the window’s ledge was the semi-frightened, semi-amused face of Anne Lister.

“What the-” Ann said, as she pulled open the window.

“I thought I would surprise you, but I think I’ve gone and surprised myself. Can you be so kind as to back away from the window, my love?”

Ann backed up and moved to the side, her arms ready to help pull Anne inside if needed. “What’s wrong?”

“Hold please,” Anne said, her face a mask of worry briefly, then tossing her overnight bag through the window. Ann didn’t have much time to process what that was as in the next moment, the brunette woman vaulted herself up to the window’s ledge, capturing it with both arms at once and proceeded to pull herself through. Ann put her hands on Anne’s waist, trying to help guide her through so she didn’t hurt anything on the ledge. Once she was in, Anne hopped up to her feet and looked back through the window, tutting and shaking her head.

“What’s wrong?!”

“Well, firstly, my shoe…I lost it right before I called out to you, but then…I had forgotten how old this building was,” She stepped aside and allowed Ann to look outside the window, the drainpipe that Anne had just climbed up was pulled slightly away from the wall.

“Oh my God, Anne!”

“I know, my darling, I’ll get my men to come and-” Her words were cut off by the younger woman rapidly coming back in from looking outside and turning on her, angrily, “…you won’t have to pay a thing, sweetheart, I will take care-”

Ann jumped into Anne’s arms and exclaimed, “You could have been killed!”

“No…darling, no…”

“That’s got to be a nine metre drop!” Ann swept her arm back towards the window.

“Probably more like seven, but yes…”

“Whyyyyy, why would you do something like that?!” the blonde woman exclaimed, then rapidly started kissing the older woman’s face, neck, forehead and anything else she could get her lips onto, finally pulling her close and hugged her tightly.

“Well…it’s like this…someone sent me a photo…”

“But you could have just told me you were coming over; I would have left the door unlocked and been in bed waiting for you…” Ann said, whispering the last part into her ear, making the taller woman shudder.

“Yes, that would have been a prudent, and may I dare say, very delicious way to handle this current situation-”

“You are so _stupidly_ romantic it’s making me want you in the worst way, but also my anxiety is through the roof right now…it’s best I sit down.”

“Yes,” Anne rapidly kicked into helper mode and walked Ann back over to the bed. “Sit down here, my darling, do you need to put your head through your legs?” The brunette woman cursed herself for thinking of something sexy to follow that up with, but let it go.

Ann, however, didn’t let the opportunity pass, “I would much rather it be _your_ head between my legs, but right now,” She put her hand on her chest as she tried to take steady even breaths, and said, “I’m trying to calm down because the thought of that head being smashed on the ground like a pumpkin, has made me a little panicked. I can’t-” She swallowed, trying to stop from gulping air.

Anne gave her an apologetic look, taking her hand as she simultaneously rubbed her back, “I’m very sorry and that won’t happen again. Good thing I brought another pair of shoes with me. I’d have had to retrieve it in my bare feet…” She chuckled at the thought and then looked down at Ann. “What do you need, my love?”

“Can you just sit next to me and hold me?”

“Yes, I can do that, _absolutely_.”

Anne did what she was told and sat next to Ann, who immediately settled her head onto the brunette woman’s chest, taking comfort in the strong sounding heartbeat and the motion of her steady breaths. It helped to even out hers and soon, she wasn’t feeling panicked at all, she was starting to feel how she did in the bed while she was texting Anne, happy, naughty and incredibly horny. Her breaths, while steady had increased with force and another wave of amorous feelings went through her, as she heard Anne’s heartbeat pick up as well. After a few moments of reveling in the knowledge that the closeness of her body on Anne’s was making her also feel a bit impassioned, she lifted her head and looked into the taller woman’s deep brown eyes. She could see the fire smoldering there, starting to even rage a little.

“I won’t ever do-” Anne started.

“Shut up and kiss me,” Ann whispered, tilting her head slightly so Anne could lean down and capture her lips in a much-needed kiss. When they broke to get air into their lungs, they immediately went back in for another toe-curling kiss.

As happened usually in their kissing sessions, Ann was trying to pull Anne closer and the older woman had to pull slightly back, she needed to stop this from getting to hot and heavy again. However, this time, it wasn’t about holding back for her Aunt’s sake in order to make sure she wasn’t just going to be a one-night stand with Ann, this was about making sure, physically, the blonde woman’s body was ready for more.

Ann groaned when she felt Anne pull back from the kiss that she thought was prematurely broken.

“Why?” Ann asked, looking into Anne’s eyes, searching for an answer. Her blue eyes were like the raging sea.

“I don’t want to hurt you?”

“I thought we’ve been over this. How would you hurt me?”

“Wasn’t that you I saw this morning…walking like your foot was asleep into the school building?”

Ann smirked, “Yes, but I thought I told you I’ve had no discomfort-”

“Yes, but if we tax it more, it will protest and this time the recovery will be for longer.”

The younger woman narrowed her eyes, not even thinking of that eventuality, “Why don’t you let me decide what’s best for…my ‘little miss kitten’?”

Anne smiled broadly and said, “I love that I got you to call her that.”

“Chuffed with ourselves, are we?”

“Quite.” The older woman tried not to smile to broadly but failed.

“You’re a scoundrel.”

“Yes, and a bounder, a knave, a rotter, a trickster, a cur, a stinker and my favorite…”

“Cad?”

“No, but that’s good, that’s a really good one. I’ll have to add that to my list…”

“What then?”

“A spalpeen.”

Ann snorted a laugh out through her nose, then shook her head smiling. Then she looked at Anne’s lips, then back up to her eyes, she smiled and said, “I love you, very much…I can’t say that enough, you know?”

Anne nodded and smiled, “I know.”

“And it’s not just because you make me…what’s the right word… _hot_?”

“Concupiscent is a good word for it, too.”

“Oh God,” Ann said and laughed out loud again. “I feel like I’m about to have sex with the dictionary.”

Anne laughed at that but then her face went serious, however, before she had a chance to say anything, Ann leaned in and gave her a sultry kiss. When it ended, she said against the brunette woman’s lips, “I’m sure you can find creative ways to make me _come_ that don’t require touching certain areas too much.”

“I’ve created a monster…”

“A leviathan, a colossus and my favorite…”

“What?” Anne grinned widely.

“A jumbo.”

“I was thinking more of a scamp, a hellion-”

“We are-” ‘daft’ Ann was going to say but was cut off by Anne.

“Going to do this… _yes_. Give me a moment or two.” The brunette woman said, then got up and took her bag into the ensuite bathroom. “Two moments.” She said before closing the door.

Ann nodded and placed herself on the bed, how she had pictured it earlier, after she had sent Anne that text. 

It was about five minutes later, when Anne finally came out, she was in white silk pajamas and a black silk camisole. The pajama jacket had a plunging neckline that went all the way down to past the camisole. The contrast of light and dark and all of that being on Anne’s skin was starting to heat Ann up even more than she was before. The brunette hair hanging loose around her shoulders was also making her desire spike. It’s true that she always loved Anne’s hair, pulled back in a ponytail, but she also loved this freer side of Anne when she decided to show it to her.

Anne walked slowly to the side of the bed and looked down on the blonde woman, in her pink nighty and flashes of skin that it showed, she followed her legs to her feet and noticed she had small pink socks on, that were faux fur lined around the top of the ankle. She closed her eyes for a moment, took in a deep breath and then looked back up at Ann, quirking her eyebrow in a questioning manner, “I want to do what you want to do, in whatever way you think is best…”

“Come here,” Ann breathed out and then held out her arms to her. “I need you again…in every kind of way…”

Anne got on the bed and moved over the top of Ann, making the blonde woman gasp. Once, she got onto the other side, she fitted herself into her side. She started by smoothing her hand over the silky material of the teddy, making Ann’s eyes slide shut and eliciting moans from her.

“I like this on you, very much…the material and color suit you so well…”

“But you’d like it off of me even better?” There was a hint of mirth in her question.

“I would never say such an obvious line, Ms. Walker…besides, I think it would be really hot… _sexy_ even…to…you know… _fuck you_ whilst it’s still on…don’t you?”

Ann nodded her head in agreement as she felt Anne slide her finger under the shoulder strap of her teddy, then pulled it down to just a few centimetres above her nipple, she drew in a breath as she saw Anne’s head descend to kiss and lick at the skin she had just exposed. When she took the silky material down further and uncovered her swollen and stiff nipple, she palmed the back of Anne’s head, pushing her head and mouth towards it.

Anne smiled as she felt Ann’s hand cup the back of her head, the blonde woman knew exactly what she needed in that moment, and she was making sure she got it. She made sure to wet her lips and as she took the nipple into her mouth, she immediately started to swirl her tongue around the distended nipple, drawing out elicit moans from Ann, who pushed on the back of Anne’s head more firmly and started to squirm with the lower half of her body. When the older woman felt Ann shift towards her and take her leg between her own two legs, to find purchase on her core, Anne pushed her by the hip, back down to the bed.

Ann was puzzled by Anne pushing her off of her leg and let out a small-frustrated sigh.

Slightly pulling off of Ann’s nipple, Anne whispered, “Don’t worry, my sweet, I’ve got you…” It made the blonde woman push down again on the back of her head. Drawing another smile from Anne’s lips. She loved that Ann was taking control of her own pleasure and speaking of that, the brunette woman trailed her hand along Ann’s squirming thigh and disappeared underneath the chemise, reaching higher until she came to her silken knickers. The younger woman gasped and let out a breathy, “Yes…” when Anne finally cupped her mound, not exerting too much pressure on it. Just letting her know she was there for her and would give her what she needed, within reason of course. She wasn’t out to hurt her on a more permanent level.

Ann was starting to get to the point where she wanted to whine and beg for Anne to touch her more firmly, but as Anne did just that, a small twinge of pain let her know that she shouldn’t ask her to do that. She was going to tell Anne to stop, but the older woman pulled the material off to the side, exposing her core and massaged her outer lips that were dripping with her excitement.

Anne pulled her mouth off of Ann’s nipple again, and whispered, “Do you mind if I go inside, my love?” But this time instead of being frustrated, Ann moaned her approval and gasped out, “Please do.” The younger woman’s moans became louder as Anne’s long forefinger trailed down to her entrance and teased the wet hole there, after a few circles around it, with the pads of her index and middle fingers, she bit down slightly on Ann’s nipple as she entered her with her index finger, stopping at the first knuckle but when she felt Ann bear down on it, she pushed it in further until it was buried to the hilt. Ann moaned the whole way and her hips stilled. Anne could feel the telltale signs that told her this attention was most welcome: her finger was greeted by a flood of wetness, there were small tremors of the warm and tender flesh around it and Ann was moaning louder now.

As the brunette woman kept up the ministrations to her nipple, Ann started a rhythm up with her lower half, one that caused electric shocks to go through her womanhood and made her clitoris engorge with a rush of blood. Thankfully, the pain that was still there was only dull and not the sharp acute pain she felt earlier this morning, in this manner she could concentrate on the way the finger inside of her hole felt. She felt full, which was also making her heart feel the same, she felt safe, loved and completely in control of her pleasure. Anne was letting her go at her own pace and if she didn’t feel so much pleasure right now, she was sure she could have cried. The overwhelming sensation of being accepted and loved, exceptionally at that, was indeed making her feel emotional, but she tried not to think of that too much, she didn’t want things to get awkward. Her love’s finger had stopped moving, but her mouth was still working on her nipple and that was shooting jolts of pleasure straight to her hole, making her inner walls clench around the welcome intruder. “More…” Ann said, and was surprised at how steady and strong her voice came out, she thought for sure it would have sounded like she was whiny and begging. The tongue around her nipple swirled faster, more excitedly, as she felt another finger at her entrance, then push in and slowly join its neighbor. Ann let out a slow gasp of air, when she got used the combined girth two together caused, she started moving her hips again, this time more urgently. She would have never believed she could come this way without any attention to her clitoris, but she was already feeling the now familiar signs of being able to do just that, in shockingly record time. She wondered if Anne was going to do that technique of holding her off for a little bit, to ensure she had a more intense experience. The thought of which simultaneously delighted and slightly angered her, and knowing that it made her completely irrational sounding, she let out a rush of air that was a chuckle but was disguised in a moan. It wasn’t too much longer before Anne pulled her fingers from her and a frustrated choke replaced the hitched breaths that she had been emitting since the position of Anne’s fingers had found her spot and the rhythm of her hand had hit its stride.

Anne pulled her mouth off of Ann’s nipple and smirked at the pop it made, she looked up the blonde woman, whose eyes were closed and whose face had a slightly upset look on it, she whispered lovingly to her, “No, my darling, no being mad with me…I want to kiss you, _terribly much_ , can I?” Ann opened her eyes and the roiling emotions that she saw in them, took the brunette woman by surprise, the sheer love she saw as she continued to look into her eyes, made her own womanhood contract in pleasure. She leaned in and captured the blonde woman’s mouth in an urgent kiss. Her tongue pushing into Ann’s mouth over and over in the rhythm she had used with her fingers, which were still hovering over her hole. This time she didn’t ask for permission or warn Ann, she pushed firmly back into her dripping sex and started a slow pace at first, but then matched the one she had going in her mouth with her tongue. Ann pulled back and gasped out her name.

“Oh, Anne, Anne, Anne, Anne…” She said, over and over, adding some ‘yeses’ and ‘please, don’t stops’, when the ‘Oh God, I’m so close…’ came out of her, Anne moved her unfettered hand to her own sex and pressed down on her clit, reveling in the jolt she felt from it and marveling at the strong contractions it was giving her deep in her vagina, something she didn’t always experience from just giving herself or her lover pleasure. She stiffened when she heard, “No, don’t.” firmly stated from Ann and stilled her hand.

“My darling?” She asked, hoping she hadn’t hurt her.

“Don’t touch yourself…I want to… _finish you off_ myself…”

Anne closed her eyes briefly and had to get the thoughts that were flooding her mind to stop, or else Ann wouldn’t have gotten her wish because she surely would have come in those next few moments. She did as she was told and removed her fingers from her core. Pulling her arm underneath her and propping herself up slightly to watch Ann’s face as she picked back up her movements and ministrations in the woman’s most sensitive of areas. The view she was rewarded with, was helping to soothe all of her past love mistakes and just like the night before, she thanked whatever entity, being or force brought them together. She’d have to soon do a genealogy deep dive on Ann’s family and thank each and every one of them for their journey in life, for eventually bringing them to Halifax and living so close to Shibden Hall.

Ann started moving her head from side to side, the feelings Anne was bringing out in her would have scared her, if they were felt with anyone else, but with Anne, they felt just right and what was needed to make her feel at home. She had always wanted to feel something like that, but never could achieve it. She thought maybe she could if her father were ever to leave them, but then both of her parent’s died, then her brother John died, and Elizabeth got married and moved so Ann was cast adrift. The fact that Anne Lister was her anchor was always something she knew, but now that she was getting to experience this intimacy with her and feel those long sought after feelings of belonging somewhere, to someone, it was almost too much for her.

“Ann, my sweet angel, look at me please…” She heard her love’s voice whisper. The tone was urgent and needy and she opened her eyes, trying to focus on what she was saying to her. When she was able to comprehend the words, it pushed her dangerously close to the edge and as Anne said, “…and I love you…let go… _come_ for me, my love.” She hurtled over that precipice and cried out, twisting and shuddering, while moaning and shouting her love for Anne.

When she finally regained her faculties and was aware of what was going on around her, Anne was gently pulling out of her still pulsing hole and she guessed she must not have been out for very long. The brunette woman was placing gentle kisses on her chest and laved, with what she could only describe as ‘lovingly’, at her still hard nipple, which was causing a few more jolts of pleasure straight to her grasping sex.

“Kiss me…” Ann breathed out, her mouth dry and throat scratchy.

“Welcome back,” Anne appeared over her and smirked down into her eyes. “I think this time it was a full minute.”

“Kiss me.” The blonde woman said more urgently.

Anne didn’t tease any longer, she complied with the request, until they had to break for air. She smiled down into Ann’s face as she ran her fingers along the hem of the silky garment and said, “I think this piece from your lingerie collection was indeed a hit, Ms. Walker and if you deign to wear it more often, or ones like it, I think you shall remain flush with orgasms for the foreseeable future.”

Ann let out a short, sharp laugh, “Is that _so_?” She raised one eyebrow at Anne and replied cheekily, “I’ll have to buy stock in the company then.”

They kissed again and Ann pulled the older woman more fully down onto her, reveling in the safety and comfort that her warmth and weight brought to her. When the kiss ended, Ann put her lips to Anne’s ear and said, “I want to bring you off with my mouth tonight…do you think we can try that?”

Anne’s pulse shot up and she started to breath hard through her nose and for one of the few times in her life she was speechless. However, lately with Ann’s surprisingly forward sexual suggestions, the speechlessness was becoming a regular thing.

“I, uhhh…”

“No, Anne, don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t put me off and say that I’m tired…or that we have plenty of time for that…I want you and I want to be the one who makes you feel like I just felt. _Again_.”

Anne didn’t say anything, she just leaned in and gave her sweet angel a grateful kiss. Not drawing it out too much, she didn’t want to waste too much time because she did feel that Ann was a bit too tired to carry out what she wanted, but she wouldn’t rule out a successful ending. Especially, with how close she had been just a few minutes ago, from merely pleasuring the very receptive and vocal, blonde woman.

As she lay back on the bed, she pulled Ann over her and smiled into her face, saying, “I’m yours to do with me what you will, Ms. Walker. Be gentle…”

Ann smiled widely, then said in her best Yorkshire accent, “Aye, don’t worry, lass, I’ll be as gentle as a lamb.”

Anne laughed out loud as she settled herself and waited for Ann Walker to do as she pleased with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 🎙 *clears throat and puts the needle on the record*
> 
> 🎶 Apple bottom chemiiiiiiise...socks with the furrrrrs...the whole of Lightcliffe lookin' at herrrrrrr. Lister hit the flow, next thang you know...shawty-Ann went Oh! Oh! Oh! Woah! Woah! Woah! WOAAAAAAH!!!!! 🎶
> 
> 😜


End file.
